KOTA KINABALU: A Malaysian wanted by the Philippines’ authorities over a massive pyramid scheme involving 15,000 people has been jailed two years by a magistrate’s court here after he admitted to having a fake passport.

Businessman Mohammad Kamal Sa’ad (pic), 47, pleaded guilty to the charge under Section 12(1) (d) of the Passport Act, which provides for up to five years in jail or a RM10,000 fine, or both.

He was charged before Magis-trate Nuruhuda Mohd Yu­­sof at a medical ward at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital here where he was undergoing treatment for a liver ailment.

According to the facts of the case, Azman was found to be in possession of a Filipino passport bearing the name of Amililio Manuel Karingal at 5.30pm on Jan 25, at the departure hall of Terminal 2, Kota Kinabalu Inter-national Airport here.

Police investigation showed that Mohammad Kamal, who has a MyKad bearing his name, had fraudulently obtained the fake Filipino passport.

Earlier, Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said although Malaysia was willing to hand Mohammad Kamal over to the authorities in the Philippines, an application would be needed according to procedures under the Asean’s Mutual Assis­tance in Criminal Matters Act.

Police, he said, had earlier received an application from the Philippines government for Mohammad Kamal but this was rejected as it was not done according to procedures.

“Such an application letter will have to go through the Philippines’ Attorney-General and its Foreign Ministry before it is handed over to our Foreign Ministry, Attorney-General and, lastly, to me before we can allow the accused to be handed over”.

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