PETALING JAYA, Aug 21 — A freelance financial consultant was charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today with cheating by personation using the title “Datuk”.

However, Kok Chee Boon, 34, pleaded not guilty to the charge before Magistrate Zaki Asyraf Zubir.

The man, who was dressed in suit, was alleged to have cheated a business by the name of Lee King Loong by claiming to be “Dato’ Dave Kok Chee Boon” when the title had yet to be conferred on him.

He was alleged to have committed the offence at No 12A, Jalan PJU 3/45, Sunway Damansara Technology Park, Kota Damansara, here in April 2014.

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The charge, under Section 419 of the Penal Code, provides an imprisonment for up to seven years, or fine, or both, if found guilty.

The prosecution represented by deputy public prosecutor Natasha Chin Le Jy offered bail of RM5,000 in one surety and also requested the case to be heard jointly with three cases of illegal deposit taking involving Kok.

Last July 21, Kok had pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court with three counts of illegal deposit involving more than RM16 million.

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Following which, the court set bail at RM4,000 in one surety and allowed the case to be heard together with the three cases of illegal deposit taking for which Kok was earlier charged. The court set Oct 5 for mention.

Kok, represented by lawyer S. Devanandan, also faced five charges in the Magistrate’s Court with using money, totalling RM220,560, that did not belong to him. The case had been fixed for mention on Aug 25. — Bernama