JASIN: An Indonesian trader has been sentenced to 15 months in jail and given one stroke of the cane by a Magistrate’s Court in Jasin after he deceivingly convinced an elderly man to purchase an “enchanted” glowing gemstone that supposedly had the power to cure illnesses. The trader, Rino Pito, 47, pleaded guilty to the charges on Wednesday (July 12), and Magistrate Mohd Firdaus Saleh imposed the sentence.
The court heard that Rino had convinced 76-year-old Talib Dahlan @ Jasin to hand over a total of RM54,500 in cash for the gemstone. Talib was manipulated into believing that this gemstone had extraordinary healing abilities. The offence took place in Jasin Town on October 5 last year.
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Rino was charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which has a maximum jail term of 10 years and whipping as a punishment. Deputy public prosecutor Hanis Aliah Ahamd Kamarulnajuib handled the prosecution, while Rino did not have legal representation.
A previous report by The Star on October 13 highlighted the case of the elderly Felda settler from Nyalas who lost his entire savings, amounting to RM55,000, in a scam involving two individuals claiming to sell him a magical gemstone.
The victim, Talib Dahlan, lodged a police report after realizing that the promised “magical” properties of the gemstone were completely false. The suspects took advantage of the fact that Talib’s wife used a walking stick and offered him the gemstone, stating that it possessed miraculous healing powers.
To convince the victim further, one of the suspects placed the gemstone in a plastic bag filled with water. They claimed that it would glow when submerged. As a result, Talib withdrew the required amount from a bank in Tangkak, Johor.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
