BY Fadley Faisal

Malaysian national Chieu Vun Thian was sentenced to two-and-a-half years of jail by the Magistrate’s court yesterday for cheating an oil and gas company out of BND154,000.

Vun Thian, also the managing director of a hardware company, was found guilty on two counts of offences under Section 420, Chapter 22 of the Penal Code.

Investigations carried out by the Anti-Corruption Bureau revealed that the defendant had conspired with Mohd Azam Zaki bin Haji Mohd Zain to deceive the oil and gas company into believing that it required the purchase of 22 sets of tools and a roller cabinet from the defendant’s company. The oil and gas company was found to have been dishonesty- induced to approve the purchase, making a payment of BND154,000.

The defendant was found guilty after trial by Magistrate Harnita Zelda Skinner. In delivering her sentence, the Magistrate took into account the gravity of the offences and the oil and gas company’s financial loss as a result of the deception.

The Magistrate further stated that the defendant’s actions should not be taken lightly and that the defendant’s conduct warranted an imprisonment sentence.

The prosecution of the case was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Hajah Suriana binti Haji Radin. Lawyer Balendran Balasingham represented the defendant.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin