Updates on Criminal Prosecution in 2016 - Criminal Prosecution

Updates on Criminal Prosecution in 2016

No.	Nature of Offence	Offender(s)	Facts of Case	Date Charged
Outcome of Criminal Court Cases and Appeals – Persons Fined and Jailed
1.	Knowingly permitting the submission of false information to Bursa Malaysia Securities Bhd	Alan Rajendram a/l Jeya Rajendram	Alan Rajendram, former director of LFE Corporation Berhad (LFE), was charged on 24 June 2010 with two charges under section 122B(b)(bb) of the SIA and two charges under section 369(b)(B) of the CMSA 2007 for knowingly permitting the furnishing of false statements to Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad in relation to LFE’s unaudited financial results for four quarters of financial year ended 31 December 2007.	On 10 October 2012, the Sessions Court convicted Alan Rajendram of all four charges and sentenced him to an imprisonment term of 12 months and a fine of RM300,000 for each charge. The jail term is to be served concurrently. Alan Rajendram filed an appeal against his conviction and sentence to the High Court.
2.		Alan Rajendram a/l Jeya Rajendram		On 28 November 2016, the High Court dismissed Alan Rajendram’s appeal and affirmed the conviction and sentence for all the four charges. The High Court also allowed Alan Rajendram’s application for a stay of execution of the sentences pending his appeal to the Court of Appeal.
3.	Criminal breach of trust	Alan Rajendram a/l Jeya Rajendram Eswaramoorthy Pillay s/o Amuther	Alan Rajendram was charged on 24 June 2010 with two counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) under section 409 of the Penal Code. The CBT alleged involved the use of RM9 million and RM9.9 million of LFE’s monies. The acts were alleged to have been committed on 4, 11 and 16 January 2007. Eswaramoorthy Pillay was charged on 29 June 2010 with two counts of abetting Alan Rajendram to commit the CBT offences.	At the end of the prosecution’s case, the Sessions Court acquitted Alan Rajendram and Eswaramoorthy Pillay. The prosecution had then appealed to the High Court which on 21 January 2016, affirmed the acquittals by the Sessions Court. The prosecution then appealed to the Court of Appeal.
4.	Criminal breach of trust			On 3 November 2016, the Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal and ordered Alan Rajendram to enter his defence on the CBT charges. The case was reverted to the Sessions Court and the defence case is fixed for 20 April 2017. The Court of Appeal however affirmed the acquittal of Eswaramoorthy Pillay.
5.	Engaging unlicensed persons to carry out the activities of a fund manager’s representative	Dr. Barjoyai Bardai	Dr. Barjoyai, a director of a fund manager company, Perdana Technology Ventures Sdn Bhd (PTV), was charged on 27 September 2002 under section 18(2) read together with section 122(1) of the SIA for breaching a condition of PTV’s fund manager’s licence by allowing two unlicensed persons to act as the company’s fund manager’s representative.	The Sessions Court convicted Dr. Barjoyai on 13 March 2008 and fined him RM100,000 (in default, eight months imprisonment). On 13 August 2010, the High Court affirmed the conviction and sentence meted out by the Sessions Court.Dr. Barjoyai then appealed to the Court of Appeal against the conviction and the prosecution cross-appealed against the sentence of fine.On 21 October 2016, Dr. Barjoyai Bardai withdrew his appeal and the prosecution withdrew its cross-appeal.
Criminal Prosecution Initiated – Persons Charged
1.	Insider trading	Fong Chiew Hean	Fong was charged with 9 counts of insider trading under section 188(2)(a) of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007 (CMSA). He is alleged to have acquired 891,000 units of Three-A Resources Berhad (3A) shares through two accounts between 7 September 2009 and 5 October 2009 while in possession of inside information. The SC alleged that the inside information referred to in the charges related to the proposed collective venture between the businesses of 3A and Wilmar International Limited.	Fong was charged on 25 October 2016.
2.	Insider trading	Fang Siew Yee	Fang SY was charged under section 188(3)(a) of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007 (CMSA) for having communicated to Fong Chiew Hean on 5 September 2009 inside information in relation to the proposed collective venture between the businesses of Three-A Resources Berhad (3A) and Wilmar International Limited.Fang SY was also charged with 8 counts of insider trading under section 188(2)(a) of the CMSA. She is alleged to have acquired 2,720,000 units of 3A shares through the account of Tan Bee Geok between 27 August 2009 and 5 October 2009. The SC alleged that the inside information referred to in the charges related to the proposed collective venture between the businesses of 3A and Wilmar and information relating to the proposed private placement of up to 20% of the issued and paid-up share capital 3A to Wilmar.	Fang SY was charged on 25 October 2016
3.	Insider trading	Fang Chew Ham	Fang CH was charged under section 188(3)(a) of the Capital Markets and Services Act 2007 (CMSA) for having communicated to Fong Chiew Hean on 5 September 2009 inside information in relation to the proposed collective venture between the businesses of Three-A Resources Berhad (3A) and Wilmar International Limited.Fang CH was also charged under section 370(c) read together with section 188(2)(a) CMSA with 7 counts of abetting Fang Siew Yee in acquiring units of 2,600,000 3A shares between 27 August 2009 and 5 October 2009 while in possession of inside information relating to the proposed collective venture between the businesses of 3A and Wilmar and information relating to the proposed private placement of up to 20% of the issued and paid-up share capital 3A to Wilmar.	Fang CH was charged on 25 October 2016.
4.	Insider trading	Tan Bee Geok	Tan was charged under section 370(c) read together with section 188(2)(a) of the CMSA with 8 counts of abetting Fang Siew Yee in acquiring 2,720,000 units of Three-A Resources Berhad (3A) shares between 27 August 2009 and 5 October 2009 while in possession of inside information relating to the proposed collective venture between the businesses of 3A and Wilmar and information relating to the proposed private placement of up to 20% of the issued and paid-up share capital 3A to Wilmar.	Tan was charged on 25 October 2016.
5.	Insider trading	Chew Lian Foon	Chew was charged under section 370(c) read together with section 188(2)(a) of the CMSA with 7 counts of abetting Fang Siew Yee in acquiring 2,620,000 units of Three-A Resources Berhad (3A) shares between 27 August 2009 and 2 October 2009 while in possession of inside information relating to the proposed collective venture between the businesses of 3A and Wilmar and information relating to the proposed private placement of up to 20% of the issued and paid-up share capital 3A to Wilmar.	Chew was charged on 25 October 2016.
6.	Insider trading	Ong Kok Aun	Ong was charged under section 370(c) read together with section 188(2)(a) of the CMSA with 1 count of abetting Fang Siew Yee in acquiring 100,000 units of Three-A Resources Berhad (3A) shares on 5 October 2009 while in possession of inside information relating to the proposed private placement of up to 20% of the issued and paid-up share capital of 3A to Wilmar.	Ong was charged on 25 October 2016.
Criminal Prosecution Initiated – Persons Charged
1.	Misleading statement in a material particular	Ishak bin Ismail	Ishak was charged with one count of making a misleading statement under section 177(b) of the CMSA in an article which was published in ‘The Star’ newspaper dated 5 June 2010.	Ishak was charged on 13 June 2016.
2.	Insider trading	Ishak bin Ismail	Ishak was charged with two counts of insider trading under section 188(2)(a) of the CMSA. He is alleged to have disposed of 58,691,900 Kenmark shares on 9 and 11 June 2010 while in possession of inside information that two of Kenmark’s clients had gone bankrupt and that EON Bank Berhad did not agree to uplift the receivership on Kenmark.	Ishak was charged on 13 June 2016.
Criminal Prosecution Initiated – Persons Charged
1.	Causing wrongful loss to a listed corporation [section 317A(1) of the CMSA read together with section 34 of the Penal Code]	Law Siew Ngoh Robert Daniel Tan Kim Leng Ng Back Heang Yap Wee Hin	Law, Tan, Ng and Yap, former executive directors of Patimas Computers Berhad (Patimas) were jointly charged with ten charges of causing wrongful loss to Patimas. They are alleged to have made payments totaling RM5.1 million between July 2010 to December 2010, for the purported development of various software for Patimas when in fact the payments were not used for such purpose.	Law, Tan, Ng and Yap were charged on 29 September 2016.
2.	Offering securities without having prospectus registered by the Securities Commission [s.232(1) read together with s.370(c) of the CMSA]	Raja Samsul Bahri bin Raja Muhammad (“Raja Samsul”)	Raja Samsul was charged under s.232(1) read together with s.370(c) of the CMSA 2007 and punishable under s.232(7) of the same Act.Raja Samsul was the former chief executive officer of Astana Resources Berhad (formerly known as JPG Holdings Berhad) when the company offered 6.9 million shares without a prospectus in relation to the said shares having been registered by the Securities Commission Malaysia under s.233 of the CMSA 2007.	Raja Samsul was charged on 1 June 2016.
3.	Issuance of securities without having prospectus registered by the Securities Commission [s.232(1) read together with s.370(c) of the CMSA]	Noor Aida binti Abdullah (“Noor Aida”) Dato’ Abdul Malek bin Yusof (“Dato’ Abdul Malek”)	Noor Aida & Dato’ Abdul Malek were charged under s.232(1) read together with s.370(c) of the CMSA 2007 and punishable under s.232(7) of the same Act.Both were directors of Astana Resources Berhad (formerly known as JPG Holdings Berhad), when the company issued 6.9 million shares without a prospectus in relation to the said shares having been registered by the Securities Commission under s.233 of the CMSA 2007.	Noor Aida & Dato’ Abdul Malek was charged on 1 June 2016.
Outcome of Criminal Prosecution – Persons Charged
	Furnishing false statements to Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad.	Norhamzah Bin Nordin Mohd Azham Bin Mohd Noor Lim Hai Loon	Norhamzah was at the material time the Group Managing Director while Mohd Azham was an executive director of Kosmo Technology Industrial Bhd (“Kosmo Tech”).Both Norhamzah and Mohd Azham were charged under section 122B(a)(bb) read together with section 122(1) of the Securities Industry Act 1983 & section 369(a)(B) read together with section 367(1) of the Capital Markets & Services Act 2007 for furnishing false statements to Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad in relation to Kosmo Tech’s eight quarterly reports on the unaudited consolidated results for the financial years 2006 and 2007.Lim Hai Loon, the Accounts Manager of Kosmo Tech at the material time was charged for abetting Kosmo Tech in furnishing the false statements to Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad in relation to Kosmo Tech’s eight quarterly reports on the unaudited consolidated results for the financial years 2006 and 2007.	Both Mohd Azham and Lim Hai Loon were charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on 26 May 2011. Norhamzah was charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on 7 June 2011.On 23 September 2016, all three accused persons were acquitted and discharged by the Sessions Court at the end of the prosecution’s case.The SC has filed an appeal to the High Court against the decision of the Sessions Court.
Outcome of Criminal Prosecution – Persons Fined and Jailed
1.	Misleading statements in connection with the purchase of securities[s.87A (c) of the SIA 1983]	Wahid Ali Kassim Ali	Wahid Ali, a director of Aiwanna Manage Assets Sdn Bhd (Aiwanna) was charged on 10 October 2005 with three counts of omitting to state a material fact, pertaining to the investment of Aiwanna’s client, Eastern Pacific Industrial Corporation Bhd (EPIC) whereby the material fact was necessary to make the statement of accounts issued to EPIC, not misleading.	The High Court had on 14 January 2013 dismissed Wahid Ali’s appeal against his conviction and sentence imposed by the Sessions Court on 30 June 2009. Wahid Ali had then filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal. On 14 May 2015, the Court of Appeal remitted the case to the High Court for a re-hearing of the appeal.On 27 May 2016 at the re-hearing of the appeal, the High Court confirmed the conviction for all 3 charges. For each charge, he was sentenced to one year imprisonment term and a fine of RM1 million (in default of the total RM3 million fine, 1 year jail). The imprisonment term was ordered to be served concurrently. The High Court allowed for Wahid Ali’s application to stay the execution of the sentences pending appeal to the Court of Appeal.
2.	Market manipulation	Low Thiam Hock	Low, Executive Chairman of Repco Holdings Berhad (Repco), was charged for manipulating the price of Repco shares under section 84(1) of the Securities Industry Act (‘SIA’) 1983.	On 11 January 2016, the Sessions Court convicted Low of market manipulation under section 84(1) of the Securities Industry Act 1983.On 29 February 2016, Low was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and a fine of RM5 million (in default 5 years imprisonment). Low has since filed an appeal to the High Court against his conviction and sentence. Background Low was charged on 18 September 1999. At the end of the prosecution case during which 25 witnesses were called, the Sessions Court acquitted Low on the basis that the charge was not proven. The Securities Commission (“SC”) then appealed to the High Court which affirmed the Sessions Court decision. The Court of Appeal however, on 28 February 2013 overturned the decision of the High Court and ordered Low to defend the charge against him, reverting the case back to the Sessions Court. The defence case commenced on 18 October 2013.
3.	Market manipulation	Wong Chee Kheong Bun Lit Chun	Both Wong and Bun were charged for manipulating the price of Suremax Group Berhad shares through 153 accounts, in furtherance of their common intention with one Ng Chong Yeng under s84(1) of the Securities Industry Act 1983 (SIA) read together with section 34 Penal Code.In the alternative, they were charged for manipulating Suremax shares by creating a misleading appearance of active trading of Suremax shares through 9 accounts, in furtherance of their common intention with one Ng Chong Yeng under s84(1) SIA read together with section 34 Penal Code.	On 9 March 2016, the Court of Appeal unanimously upheld the convictions against Wong and Bun. The Court of Appeal also affirmed the sentence of 24 months imprisonment and RM3 million fine imposed by the Sessions Court against Wong and a sentence of 3 months imprisonment and RM2 million fine against Bun. Background Wong and Bun were charged on 25 October 2005.On 7 January 2011, Wong and Bun were convicted by the Sessions Court on the Alternative Charge.On 12 January 2011, Wong was sentenced by the Sessions Court to 24 months imprisonment and a fine of RM3 million (in default 6 months imprisonment). Bun was sentenced to 3 months imprisonment and a fine of RM2 million (in default 6 months imprisonment).On 18 March 2014, the High Court affirmed the conviction and dismissed the appeals against conviction by both Wong and Bun.On 27 March 2014, Bun’s appeal to the High Court against sentence was allowed in part where the sentence of imprisonment was reduced from 3 months to 1 day. The fine of RM2 million imposed by the Sessions Court was affirmed.On 9 April 2014, the High Court dismissed Wong’s appeal against his sentence and affirmed the sentence of 24 months imprisonment and a fine of RM3 million.Both Wong and Bun then filed their appeals to the Court of Appeal while the Prosecution filed a cross appeal against the reduced sentence of Bun.

No record found.