KUALA LUMPUR, April 10 — A traditional medicine practitioner was charged in the Sessions Court here today with cheating a senior citizen on the pretext of providing religious spiritual services prompting the victim to make payments of more than RM460,000.

P. Wicknesvaran, 35, pleaded not guilty to the charge which was read out before Judge Datin Sabariah Othman.

He was charged with cheating G. Kanniason, 60, into believing that he could provide religious spiritual services prompting the victim to pay a total of RM467,935 for the service.

The offence was allegedly committed at a bank in Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, Menara Ampang here between July 21 to December 29, 2022.

The charge, framed under Section 415 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 417 of the same law, provides a maximum of five years imprisonment or a fine or both, if convicted.

The court allowed Wicknesvaran bail of RM20,000 with one surety. He was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court.

The court set May 10 for mention.

Deputy public prosecutor Hanis Anisha Jamilludin prosecuted, while lawyer Shamsher Singh Thind represented the accused. — Bernama