KUALA LUMPUR: Five female social media influencers claimed trial at two magistrate's courts today with promoting online gambling on their respective platforms in June.
The accused, Aileen Koh Ooi Leng, 29; Hayatunnuffus Zakariya, 32; Nurul Syifa Aliya Adanan, 21; Nurazalina Mustafa, 28; and Noor Shahnez Marzuani, 22, were charged before magistrates Aina Azahra Arifin and Illi Marisqa Khalizan.
The charge sheet read that Koh had at about 8.23am promoted online gambling at a restaurant in Sentul on June 13.
She committed the offence under Section 8(1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act which carries a fine from RM20,000 to RM200,000 and a maximum five years jail term.
As for Hayatunnuffus and Noor Shahnez, they were charged with announcing or publishing by promoting online gambling platforms on their respective Instagram accounts to lure or deceive anyone to gamble in an common gaming house.
They committed the offences at 9am and 9.30am at two restaurants in Bandar Tun Razak and Taman Maluri in Cheras on the same day.
Nurul Syifa and Nurazalina were charged with promoting online gambling platforms Winbox.World, KK8, We1Win and Lucky365 on Instagram accounts handled by them using iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro smartphones.
They committed the offences at 7am and 7.30am at the Kuala Lumpur Police Training Centre's Gambling Prevention Unit in Wangsa Maju on the same day.
All four were charged under Section 4(1)(g) of the same Act which carries a fine of between RM5,000 and RM50,000 and a jail term up to three years upon conviction.
There is also a fine of between RM5,000 and RM50,000 for each gambling machine seized.
In the proceedings before Aina Azahra, prosecuting officer Assistant Superintendent Nom Phot Prack Dit offered bail at RM5,000 with one surety each for Hayatunnuffus and Koh.
However, defence lawyers Azlan Abdul Razak dan V. Varunnath asked for a low bail amount as their clients do not have a stable income.
The court allowed RM4,000 bail with one surety each and set Aug 15 and 26 for mention.
Separately before Illi Marisqa, deputy public prosecutor Hamizah Hisan urged the court to set bail at RM15,000 with one surety for Nurul Syifa, Nurazalina and Noor Shahnez.
National Legal Aid Foundation lawyers Mohd Rhastdan Abdul Wahab and Meor Khusyairi as well as A. Krishnaveni, who stood for their trio, asked for a minimum bail sum as the three accused have unstable incomes and are supporting their parents and families.
Illi Marisqa fixed bail at RM5,000 with one surety for each of them and set Aug 15 for mention.
Ends