Published: Tuesday February 5, 2013 MYT 3:48:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday February 5, 2013 MYT 3:51:52 PM
Malaysian wanted in Philippines gets two years for passport offence
By RUBEN SARIO and STEPHENIE LEE
KOTA KINABALU: A Malaysian man accused of cheating 15,000 people in a massive pyramid scheme in the Philippines has been jailed for two years by the Magistrate's Court here.
Businessman Mohammad Kamal Sa'ad, 47, pleaded guilty Monday after being charged under Section 12(1) (d) of the Passport Act 1966, which provides a fine of up to RM10, 000 or jail terms of up to five years or both.
He was charged before Magistrate Nuruhuda Mohd Yusof at the male medical ward of the Queen Elizabeth hospital here where he is undergoing treatment for a liver ailment.
According to the facts of the case tendered by prosecuting officer Insp Azwal Azman, Mohammad Kamal was found to be in possession of a Philippines passport under the name of Amililio Manuel Karingal on Jan 25, at about 5.30pm at the departure hall of Terminal 2, Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) here.
A police team also found on Mohammad Kamal a MyKad identity card bearing his name.
Further police investigations found that he had fraudulently obtained the Philippines passport.
In seeking a lighter sentence for his client, counsel Hairul V. Othman said Mohammad Kamal was first-time offender who was remorseful of his actions.
Earlier, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said Malaysia was willing to hand over Mohammad Kamal, who is wanted by the Philippines authorities.
Hamza said proper procedures under Asean's Mutual Assitance in Criminal Matters Act 2002 had to be complied with before they could hand over Manuel Karingal Amalilio.
He said police received an application from the Philippines Government to pick up Mohammad Kamal but this had to be rejected as they had not gone through the procedure according to the Act.
The application letter has to go through the Philippines Attorney-General and Foreign Ministry before being handed over to Malaysia's Foreign Ministry, Attorney-General and police, he said.
Mohammad Kamal is alleged to have operated a company Aman Futures Group, and claimed to be a nephew of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman and Foreign Minister Datuk Anifah Aman, while luring thousands of Filipino investors into his investment scheme offering 67% in returns.
He fled the Philippines for Sabah in November immediately after Philippines President Benigno Aquino III ordered his arrest as over 15,000 investors were cheated of around 12bil Pesos (RM895mil) under the scam.
Meanwhile, Musa was quoted in an online news reports as saying that Mohammad Kamal was a “distant relative” but this should not be a hindrance for any action against him.
He said the Sabah government did not and would not intervene in this matter.
- Umno probing reports of sabotage by party members during polls
- Guan Eng wants Zahid to retract statement
- Beckham is Star Online readers' pick for best English player
- More tourists to Sabah despite Sulu gunmen intrusion
- No comment on minister post until I’m a Senator, says Wahid
- Ceramah is state function, no permit needed, says Karpal
- Six new faces in new Perak exco line-up
- New measures to boost public safety and security
- Cops seek to further reduce crime rate in Klang Valley
- New IGP clocks in early on day one
- Cops need to be more visible and get tough on minor offences
- Community policing reducing crime
- Penang Government and cops headed for showdown
- Thousands gather at Pakatan rally in Seremban
- Ghani did not campaign in Singapore, says republic
- CEO: Catcha Media won’t be taken private — for now
- Sarawak politically-linked stocks rally
- Jala: GST could add up to RM27bil to country’s income
- Analysts say UMW Holdings’ O&G offering was widely anticipated
- Matrix Concepts’ IPO oversubscribed by 11.3 times
- Instacom wins RM200m job?
- SFSS set to be largest shareholder of Bintulu Port
- Northport buys two new quay cranes
- Bursa Malaysia closes on Friday
- Up close and personal with Rod Young
- Well-planned land transport network can boost Greater KL area
- Will MRT Line 2 go on as planned?
- Big challenges for new Cabinet
- Lessons from ‘The Office’
- Paradigm shift – fundamental change in thinking
- Cycling: Leader Van Garderen wins California time trial
- Golf: Keegan Bradley maintains Byron Nelson lead
- Golf: Korda seizes lead at Mobile Bay LPGA
- Formula One: Increased venom as F1 tyre war erupts again
- Rugby: It's all I have to play for, says Wilkinson
- Doping battle at breaking point
- Cricket: Haq nets record and a duck in Scotland warm-up
- Cricket: Anderson bowls England back into first Test
- NFL: New York Jets rusher Goodson arrested
- Cricket: Heroes' praise too much for 300-up Anderson
- Tennis: Radwanska out of Brussels to aid French Open bid
- Table tennis: Leading Chinese quartet power into last 16 of world meet
- NBA: Kings sold to group led by India's Ranadive for more than US$535mil
- Golf: China's schoolboy Guan stumbles to 77 at US$6.7mil Byron Nelson
- Rugby: Leinster add to Stade agony with European Challenge Cup win
- DAP MP says sorry to voter
- Ahmad Zahid: My statement in Utusan not racist, just practical
- Penang Government and cops headed for showdown
- Global survey claims Malaysians among the least racially tolerant
- New measures to boost public safety and security
- Thousands gather at Pakatan rally in Seremban
- It was Ahmad Zahid’s personal view, says Khairy
- New IGP clocks in early on day one
- Malaysians rubbish survey’s findings
- Death of wife inspires man to apply for trip to Mars
- Tips to consider when picking a business partner
- DAP MP says sorry to voter
- Ahmad Zahid: My statement in Utusan not racist, just practical
- Well-planned land transport network can boost Greater KL area
- Will MRT Line 2 go on as planned?
- Ghani did not campaign in Singapore, says republic
- It was Ahmad Zahid’s personal view, says Khairy
- Marketers should focus more on unconscious mind, says consultant
- Paradigm shift – fundamental change in thinking
- Reduce amount of salt in food to fight hypertension, consumers told
RSS
