By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Jan 10: A coffeeshop owner who is suspected of swindling approximately RM120,000 from two individuals has been remanded by the Magistrate’s Court here for four days.
The suspect was arrested by the police on Jan 9 and was brought before Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan who remanded the suspect for four days until Jan 14 to assist in the police investigation.
Aside from alleged involvement in deceiving shareholders and misappropriating company funds, the suspect who operates a coffee shop in Kuching is also alleged to have used the company’s name to deceive people, gain trust from friends, and entice them into “investing” in business.
Two victims who were friends with the suspect lodged a report at the Sungai Maong Police Station on August 2, 2023. The case was handed over to the Commercial Crime Investigation Unit for further investigation.
According to information obtained from the two victims, the 25-year-old victim, a bank employee, invested RM30,000 in a dried meat business after he was persuaded by the suspect on Feb 11, 2022. The funds were transferred to the suspect’s personal bank account instead of the company’s account.
The second victim, 26, who works for an energy company on February 18, 2022, transferred nearly RM90,000 to the suspect’s personal account in the belief the sum would be used for investment.
Both victims’ funds were deposited into the suspect’s personal account instead of the account of the company they were supposedly investing in. The investment plan lacked any contracts, and the promises were solely verbal.
After transferring the money, the two victims awaited their returns, only to not receive any profits. Attempts to confront the suspect were met with evasions and delays, prompting the victims to investigate further. They discovered that the coffeeshop owner was also allegedly involved in deceiving shareholders and misappropriating company funds. — DayakDaily
