Three jailed for aiding organised crime
KOTA KINABALU (June 13): Three men were sentenced to five years in prison by the High Court here today for assisting an organised crime group in committing a serious offence for material gain.
Sugumaran K. Ponniah, 56, a self-employed man; Hasran Magin, 46, a fisherman; and Subramaniam Thangavelu, 56, a teacher, pleaded guilty to charges under Section 130W of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years upon conviction.
The trio committed the offences between April 26 and July 4, 2024, at a bank branch in the city. The court ordered their sentences to run from the date of their arrests.
Sugumaran was represented by counsel Dominic Chew, Hasran by Azhier Farhan Arisin, and Subramaniam by Datuk Ram Singh and Prem Elmer Ganasan.
Meanwhile, seven other individuals — contractor Josepin J. Langkan, 38; pensioner Nasir Abdul Rasid, 60; bank managers Irene Chin Nyuk Thien, 38, and Christina @ Caroline Pianus Etip, 53; Vireonis Jonok, 35, unemployed; pensioner Leong Hin Ping, 62; and Mazlani Jenuary, 53, unemployed — will have their cases mentioned on July 18.
They are separately charged under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code with being members of the organised crime group, allegedly led by Josepin. The charge provides for imprisonment of between five and 20 years upon conviction.
The alleged offences occurred at the same bank branch between April 26 and July 10, 2024.
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