Former bank officer charged for cheating in non-existent investment scheme again

KAMPAR: A former bank officer, currently serving a prison sentence for cheating in connection with a non-existent investment scheme, was charged in the Magistrate’s Court here on four similar charges involving RM17,350.

M. Patmanathan, 43, pleaded not guilty to all the charges before Magistrate A. Hafiizh Abu Bakar.

On three charges, he is charged with deceiving three individuals into handing over RM1,550, RM3,500 and RM7,300, respectively, as investments in a non-existent investment.

The charges were framed under Section 417 of the Penal Code, which provides a maximum imprisonment of five years, a fine or both if convicted.

Under Section 420 of the Penal Code, he was also charged with cheating a man by dishonestly inducing the victim into handing over RM5,000 to obtain profit in the same non-existent investment scheme.

He faced imprisonment for up to 10 years, whipping, and is liable to a fine if found guilty.

All the offences were allegedly committed at Maybank Kampar between March 25, 2019, and Jan 2023.

The court set bail of RM8,500 with one surety for all the charges and fixed Jan 5 for mention.

Deputy Public Prosecutor M. Esther Jacyntha prosecuted, while lawyer Manal Hayati Mohd Arif, represented the accused.

Last July 12, Patmanathan was charged with two counts of cheating in connection with non-existent investment schemes involving losses of more than RM110,000. – Bernama