The three female accused being escorted to the courtroom by a policewoman.
KUCHING: Three female China nationals charged with cheating an elderly woman of her cash and jewellery items claimed trial before a magistrate’s court here yesterday.
The accused comprising Liang Yan Xia, 44; Huang Tumei,42; and Zhang Xuehua, 52, appeared before Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi who released them on RM6,000 bail with RM3,000 cash to be deposited at the court with two sureties.
She set pre-trial case management on Aug 18, with the trial to begin on Sept 17.
The trio allegedly cheated Yeo Guek Hong, 54, of RM13,640 cash and her gold jewellery last June 26 at 9.15am outside an eatery at Stutong Bazaar here.
According to the brief facts of the case tendered by prosecutor Insp Ezan Suhaila Sulaiman, the women had approached Yeo for the direction to one Dr Kau’s house.
While telling them she did not know the house, one of the women patted her back and told her that her child was possessed by a bad spirit and would die.
They asked her to get some cash from her house as well as jewellery to cure the possession.
She handed over RM13,640 cash and five pendants, six rings and three watches which were then kept in a plastic bag.
The victim was told not to open the package until the next week. However, she found from a Chinese daily that the women who approached her were arrested by the police two days later, prompting her to open the plastic bag which to her dismay, contained only two mineral water bottles and a newspaper.
She felt cheated and lodged a police report. All three accused will be tried under Section 420 of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years, as well as whipping and a fine.
In the same court room, Liang was ordered to be remanded after she claimed trial to a second offence under the same charge.
She allegedly used the same modus operandi on an elderly woman, Liew Sui Nyong, at Kota Sentosa around 7am on last March 23.
Insp Ahmad Ilias who prosecuted the case said the 71-year-old Liew was standing in front of a bank in Kota Sentosa when Liang approached her.
Liang had asked Liew whether she knew anyone who could cure sickness before the latter was brought to a coffee shop, where she was told that her child was sick and needed to be cured. The accused offered to help find the cure.
Liew later handed to her over RM20,000 cash and some foreign currency worth RM20,000 as well as RM60,000 from her fixed deposit account and her jewellery.
Again, the suspect told her to keep the package where she claimed the cash and gold were kept.
A week later, Liew opened the plastic bag only to discover that it contained a bag of salt and a few mineral water bottles.
She then lodged a police report.
Zubaidah fixed Aug 12 for pre-trial case management and ordered Liang to be further remanded.