Three women, impersonating as shamans, jailed 15 months for cheating

PETRA JAYA: Two women from China who were convicted of cheating a housewife of more than RM5,000 cash and jewellery, burst into tears as they pleaded for leniency from the magistrate’s court.

Li Ruiwen and Li Jinrong, aged 50 and 39 respectively, were among four people charged with cheating 57-year-old Phang Sia Feng by impersonating as shamans and duping the housewife at the Siburan Bazaar in Siburan near here at 9.10am on Dec 11.

The other two accused are identified as Fery, 43, and Agustini, 27, both from Indonesia.

According to the charge sheet, all four accused were alleged to have cheated Phang by dishonestly inducing her to deliver RM5,091.94 in cash, three golden rings, a set of earrings, and a gold necklace with four lockets to them.

Ruiwen, Jinrong and Agustini pleaded guilty to the charge, under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. Fery, however, claimed trial to the charge.

All four were unrepresented.

At this juncture, the two Chinese women could not control their emotions and broke down in tears during their mitigation for leniency.

“I humbly ask for forgiveness from the complainant and the police.

“I am not feeling well and I plea for the Court to impose a fine and not a custodial sentence.

“I promise that I will not commit the same offence in the future,” a teary-eyed Ruiwen told the court interpreter in Mandarin when she pleaded for the Court to only impose a fine and not a jail term.

Jinrong, a mother of three children aged between four and 10, also pleaded the same.

Agustini, meanwhile, told the Court that she has two children and that her husband had suffered a stroke.

Prosecuting Officer Assistant Superintendent Rogayah Rosli asked the Court to impose a deterrent sentence against the accused and for all stolen items to be returned to the owner.

Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi, when delivering her judgement, said the Court took into consideration the guilty plea as well as the seriousness of the nature of the crime committed by the three women.

She later sentenced each of the women to 15 months’ imprisonment beginning today.

She also fixed Jan 23 and Feb 8 as mention and trial date respectively to hear Fery’s case. No bail was granted for him.

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