KOTA KINABALU, Sept 14 — Seven men and three women, including two bank branch managers, claimed trial at a High Court here yesterday for being members of an organised crime group linked to RM24.2 million missing from several bank accounts.
They are teacher Subramaniam Thangavelu, 56; contractor Josepin J. Langkan, 38; pensioner Nasir Abdul Rasid, 60; bank manager Irene Chin Nyuk Thien, 38; bank manager Christina @ Caroline Pianus Etip, 53; self-employed Sugumaran K. Ponniah, 56; unemployed Vireonis Jonok, 35; pensioner Leong Hin Ping, 62; fisherman Hasran Magin, 46; and unemployed Mazlani Jenuary, 53.
The accused, believed to have been led by Josepin, were charged with being members of an organised crime group involved in serious offences for the material benefit of the group under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of between five years and 20 years upon conviction.
They had allegedly committed the offences at a bank branch here between April 26 and July 10 and pleaded not guilty before judge Datuk Zaleha Rose Pandin.
The indictment provides for a jail term of not less than five years and not more than 20 years, upon conviction.
The court fixed November 7 for further mention of the cases and all the individuals were ordered to be held in custody, pending disposal of the case.
Subramaniam was represented by counsel Datuk Ram Singh; Josepin and Vireonis were represented by counsel Hairul V Othman and Luke Ressa Balang; Sugumaran and Nasir were defended by counsel Dominic Chew and Ariel Dasan; Irene was represented by counsel Mohd Al Hafidz Mohd Lokman and Luqman Syazwan Zabidi; Christina was represented by counsel Arthur; Mazlani was represented by counsel Datuk Marzuki Spawi; Hasran was represented by counsel Azhier Farhan Arisin while Leong was unrepresented.
They were first charged at the Sessions Court here on July 25 before their cases were transferred to the High Court.
On July 23, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) director Commissioner Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said police had detained 14 suspects aged 26 to 63 under Section 4(5) of the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act (Sosma) 2012.
They believe the suspects had made a detailed plan to produce fake MyKad (for use in banking matters) and manipulate the bank’s fingerprint scanner.
Ramli had previously said the suspects linked to the embezzlement of millions from a bank targeted their victims after syndicate members on the inside identified high-value account holders.
He said the monies were taken out via bank counter transactions, the first being conducted around April. Several more were done in May and June.
Through inside help, the money was taken out according to bank procedures. The case only came to light after a targeted account holder went to the bank to update their details, he said. — The Borneo Post
