SIBU – The magistrates’ court here yesterday imposed a total of 40 years in prison on a woman – but to serve four years in jail as most of the sentences are to run concurrently – for her involvement in bogus low-cost housing deals.
Magistrate Oon Kork Chern convicted Suhana Abdullah, 39, on her own guilty plea to 40 counts of cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property involving a total of RM1.011 million over a period of three years.
The charges came under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which carries an imprisonment term of between one and 10 years, and with caning, and a fine.
Oon sentenced her to one year in prison for each charge, ordering for three of the sentences to run consecutively, while the remaining jail sentences would run concurrently.
As such, she is to serve four years in jail.
According to the charges, Suhana, who was represented by counsel Reena Chong, committed the offences against 37 people by offering them low-cost houses that were non-existent between 2019 and 2022 in different places.
It was previously reported that Sibu police chief Zulkipli Suhaili had said after the victims made the payment, they were given receipts for their deposits and some were even given agreement documents to convince them of the offer.
When the victims tried to follow up on the progress of construction, Suhana gave various excuses.
The victims only realised they had been cheated after they found out the housing projects were never developed.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Amirul Hakim Mohamad Zamri handled the prosecution. – May 30, 2024