Fake notes: Man gets 5 years

Kota Kinabalu: A 29-year-old man was jailed five years for using 16 fake RM100 notes to buy a handphone.

Mohd Hafiiz Badri Kadir pleaded guilty before Sessions Court Judge Azreena Aziz, to the charge against him, Friday. 

He had used 14 pieces of RM100 fake notes with the serial number DG8195074 and two pieces of RM100 fake notes with serial number CE5818334 to buy the handphone at Beverly Hills Apartment, Bundusan in Penampang on Oct 20, 2020.

The offence under Section 489B of the Penal Code provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and fine, upon conviction.

During mitigation, Mohd Hafiiz who was not represented, asked for the sentence to be served concurrently with his other sentence.

However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Amirah Muhammad Ali urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence on the grounds that the offence is serious as Mohd Hafiiz has knowledge about the fake notes as he used the same modus operandi with the other cases by buying handphones with the fake notes.

The court heard that Mohd Hafiiz had text the complainant through WhatsApp saying that he was interested to buy the handphone for RM1,650 that was advertised on Mudah.com.

They met and the complainant handed over the handphone after she received the money from Mohd Hafiiz inside an envelope.

Upon checking the money, the complainant found that it was fake notes and subsequently lodged a police report.

Following the report, Mohd Hafiiz was arrested.

After investigation, the money was confirmed by Bank Negara Malaysia that it was fake.

The court ordered Mohd Hafiiz to serve the jail sentence from the date of his arrest.