Crime & Courts

Six contractors duped of RM710K for 'multi-million ringgit worth of projects'

KOTA KINABALU: Six contractors lost RM710,000 after they were offered tender award letters for "multi-million ringgit worth of projects".

Those projects include changing the light bulbs along the roads in Sabah, clearing residential areas and construction work at Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park.

District police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaidi Abdullah said the six had dealt with the same person to get the projects.

"The suspect had asked the contractors to pay a sum of money in order to get the tender award letters for those projects.

"It was even more convincing that after being given the letters, victims also received cheques as mobilisation of cost payment to start the project," he said when contacted, adding the man had asked the contractors not to process the cheques until further notice.

While waiting, the man had asked the victims to make the payments in stages.

"However, after six months, they realised that they were being conned as the man could not be contacted.

"All the victims had lodged police reports. Two were received in September and November, and the other four made the reports this year."

The suspect was arrested on Dec 31 and was remanded to assist in further investigations conducted under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.

"If convicted, the suspect can be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison and whipping and can be fined," he said.

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