Twenty-one lawyers wanted for criminal breach of trust, cheating

Police are tracking down 21 lawyers for the breach of trust and cheating offences involving RM30.4 million in losses.

Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department (CCID) chief Mohd Zakaria Ahmad (above) said these individuals, aged between 34 and 69, had cheated their clients in 39 cases since 2012.

At a media conference today, police released the pictures of the suspects and said eight were ready to be charged while the rest was needed to complete the investigation papers.

Police said five of them are believed to have fled abroad.

Selangor reported 21 cases amounting to RM7.5 million, Kuala Lumpur (11 cases; RM17.09 million), Johor (three cases; RM4.4 million), Pahang (two cases; RM387,000); Negri Sembilan (one case; RM297,000); and Perak (one case; RM640,000).

"These lawyers broke the trust of their clients, allegedly abusing funds entrusted to them for their own benefit.

"Most of them had their own legal firms and they have been barred from practising their profession by the Bar Council," Zakaria said.

Among them are Michael Persius Ubu, 61, who is also wanted by the MACC to facilitate investigations into the purchase of oil palm plantation land worth RM155 million in Sabah.

Both Ubu and Warisan vice-president Peter Anthony were investigated in January over the case.

Meanwhile, police are also hunting down a total of 117 loan sharks and their accomplices who were involved in various cases nationwide, since 2017.

"Fifty of them are to be charge while 63 individuals are needed to complete investigations. We are also in the process of getting an arrest warrant for four individuals," he said.

Zakaria added police had launched an operation codenamed "Vulture" last month and inspected 536 licensed moneylenders. They had also raided 109 unregistered loan shark premises.

"With the operation, we managed to ease the fear among victims who had been intimidated by these Ah Long (loan sharks).

"For your information, police will never hide or close any case related to Ah Long. We will find and investigate them," he assured. - Mkini