IPOH – A businessman was today sentenced to 10 years’ jail and 24 strokes of the cane by the sessions court here after being found guilty on 115 counts of cheating by using forged documents, involving investments of over RM6 million, six years ago.
Judge Norashima Khalid meted out the sentence to N. Narendran after finding that the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt over the prosecution’s case.
The punishment handed down is for all charges faced by the 41-year-old.
Norashima allowed a stay of the sentence pending an appeal.
On all the charges, Narendran was accused of cheating Hafizul Abdul Hamid, 45, by deceiving the latter into believing a Perak government order to supply disposable medical equipment to Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital here was genuine.
This prompted the victim to hand over cheques and cash of between RM20,000 and RM350,000 each time for the purpose of investment at four locations here between May and December 2015.
The charges are under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and whipping, and liable to a fine, upon conviction.
Narendran was also charged under Section 471 for dishonestly passing off forged documents on the state government order as genuine, at the Ganang resources office at the Greentown Business Centre between April and October 2015.
Norashima allowed him bail at RM30,000, to be posted today, and ordered him to report himself at the police station every two weeks pending disposal of the appeal.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Nazreen Zabarudin, while lawyer R.S.N. Rayer represented Narendran. – Bernama, April 9, 2021
