IPOH, March 12 — A man who was believed to have impersonated an officer of the Home Ministry and the Education Ministry to trick his victims out of RM75,640 was arrested by the police last night.
Perak Commercial Crime Investigation Department Chief Supt Maszley Minhad said the man, 50, was detained in a food outlet in Taman Rasi Jaya, Menglembu, here at 9.45pm.
“The suspect who was remanded for four days until Saturday is believed to be able to help solve six cases in Perak and one in Kelantan,” he said in a statement, here today.
He said the department also seized two automatic teller machine cards, two bank account books and one handphone when the suspect was detained.
The suspect was believed to have impersonated as an officer of the Home Ministry as well as the Education Ministry, offering tenders for laptop computers in schools and government offices.
He said his impersonation of a government officer and other ploys, which convinced the victims that he had the authority to issue the tender, were reported in Jelapang, Ampang Baru, Menglembu and Pekan Bharu here, causing all the victims to lose RM41,250.
Maszley said a police report was also lodged in Tronoh near here against the suspect for allegedly offering a tender to supply first-aid kits to the industrial area in Kulim, Kedah, causing the victim to lose RM30,000.
“Based on a report in Pekan Bharu here, the suspect is also believed to have tricked a victim by offering a contract for planting grass along the highway, causing the victim to lose RM4,390,” he said.
Supt Maszley added that the suspect, who did not have a permanent job, was being investigated under Section 420 for the Penal Code, for cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property, which can be punished with imprisonment for a maximum term of 10 years and with whipping, and can also be liable to a fine. — Bernama
