Job scammer fined RM1,000 for cheating

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KUCHING: A Magistrates’ Court here yesterday sentenced a man to 18 months’ jail and a fine of RM1,000 in default one month jail after he pleaded guilty to cheating another man of RM700 in a Qatar offshore job scam.

Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi imposed the sentence on John Aryu, 27, from Rh Junis, Kg Kelupu, in Bintangor and convicted him under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

The section provides a jail term not of less than a year and not more than 10 years with whipping or fine.

John cheated one Florentius Razelan, 29, by deceiving him into believing that there was an offshore job as a rigger at Doha, Qatar. The money was surrendered to the accused at 9.15pm on June 24 at the open-air market here.

Florentius had to meet the accused at the market in order to pay him the money so that his brother-in-law and a friend could get the offshore job.

The victim was, however, told later by his brother in-law and his friend that the vacancy never existed.

John was arrested at 3.15pm on July 11 by police from commercial crime department of Kuching district police station at Sri Aman Police Station.

It is learnt that many similar charges will be filed against him for carrying out the job scam whereby 25 individuals had become his victims.

The victims were told to pay RM350 for their passport and visa arrangement. Police reports were lodged by the victims after realising that they were duped.

ASP Austin Patrick Angkon prosecuted while the accused was not represented.