JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 3 — A petrol station proprietor pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to four charges of cheating a businessman of RM2.3 million and using forged documents regarding the operations of a fuel business last year.
Hanafi Husin, 39, is alleged to have cheated the 34-year-old businessman by deceiving him into handing over cash on three occasions and depositing money into a company bank account twice between June 17 and July 6 last year, involving a total of RM2.3 million.
He is also charged with using a forged letter of consent on sale of seized diesel dated May 23, 2022 from the Johor Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism office.
He is also alleged to have used fake documents in the form of a support letter on LPG/Petroleum Products licensing from the Zone 1 Fire and Rescue Department, letter on underground tank storage capacity for diesel/petrol products and support letter on supply of RON 97 petrol/diesel for premises in the Pasir Gudang industrial area.
The offences on falsification of documents were allegedly committed at the company owned by the accused in the Pasir Gudang industrial estate on June 12, 2022.
Hanafi was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum jail term of 10 years, caning and a fine, and Section 471 of the same law, which provides for up to two years’ jail or a fine or both on conviction.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Nor Hayati Muhammad Fathullah while lawyer Mohd Fazaly Ali Mohd Ghazaly represented the accused.
Judge Fatimah Zahari allowed him bail of RM60,000 and ordered him to surrender his passport to the court and to report to the nearest police station every month.
She fixed January 26 this year for mention.
— Bernama
