JOHOR BAHARU: A property agent was sentenced to 16 years’ jail and 30 strokes of the cane by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday for 30 counts of cheating in the purchase and investment of auction homes.
Magistrate Mohd Azlan Shah Mohd Allias handed down the sentence on Muhammad Asid Abd Jalil, 35, who pleaded guilty to all the charges.
Muhammad Asid was charged with dishonestly inducing 30 individuals to hand over a total of RM382,117 through their bank accounts and a gold chain at several locations in the city between May 2013 and April 2 this year.
The money and gold chain were for the purchase and investment of auction houses offered by Muhammad Asid, where all the 30 individuals would not have handed over the money and jewellery had they knew they were deceived.
Muhammad Asid, from Taman Bukit Dahlia, Pasir Gudang, was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code which provided an imprisonment for up to 10 years and whipping, and is liable to fine, if found guilty.
Mohd Azlan Shah sentenced Muhammad Asid to 12 months’ jail and a stroke of the cane on each count.
Some of the jail sentences were to ordered to be served consecutively, and others concurrently, from the date of arrest, which was last May 5.
In all, Muhammad Asid will have to serve 16 years in jail.
During mitigation, lawyer Mohamad Isa Mohamad Basir, representing Muhammad Asid, said his client, who has two wives and four children, is the sole breadwinner of his family.
“Both wives are not working and the second wife just delivered their second child 10 days ago.
“He also takes care of his mother-in-law who is a diabetic and needs treatment,” said Mohamed Isa. — Bernama