Indonesian gets 3 years for having RM138,920 in counterfeit currencies

Hendra pleads guilty to committing the offence at a location in Serian, near Kuching, on Oct 8.

Hendra was charged with possessing 1,200 RM100 notes, 240 RM50 notes, 296 RM20 notes and 100 RM10 notes, all counterfeit, with the intent to use them as genuine currency. (Pexels pic)

PETALING JAYA:

 An Indonesian man was sentenced to three years’ jail by the Kuching sessions court today for possessing RM138,920 in counterfeit banknotes last month.

Bernama reported that judge Musli Abdul Hamid handed down the sentence after Hendra, 32, pleaded guilty to the charge, with the jail term to commence today.

Hendra was charged with possessing 1,200 RM100 notes, 240 RM50 notes, 296 RM20 notes and 100 RM10 notes, all counterfeit, with the intent to use them as genuine currency.

The offence was committed at a location along Jalan Tebedu-Serian, Serian, at about 4.45pm on Oct 8.

The charge was framed under Section 489C of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years upon conviction.

According to the facts of the case, a General Operations Force team detained two foreign men riding a motorcycle suspiciously by the roadside, believed to have entered Sarawak via the Tebedu-Entikong border.

Upon questioning, the two men led the team to Hendra, not far from the first location, which resulted in the discovery of the counterfeit banknotes.

Authorities also detained a woman in connection with the case, bringing the total number of arrests to four.

Deputy public prosecutor Asmawi Nur Haqim Mokhtar appeared for the prosecution. - FMT