Wanted lawyer surrenders

The New Straits Times
by ATIQA HAZELLAH

KUALA LUMPUR: SHE evaded arrest for a year. Wanted by the police for several cases of criminal breach of trust involving more than RM1 million, investigators netted her on Thursday.

The 36-year-old lawyer, a divorcee with one child, is being investigated for allegedly swindling money from at least seven people who had gone to her to draw up sale-and-purchase agreements for properties.

It is learnt that she is to be charged today under Section 409 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping, and liable to fine upon conviction.

Seven police reports were lodged against the lawyer for the alleged crimes, which took place in Wangsa Maju (four), Sentul (one), Dengkil (one) and Klang Utara (one).

Police believe the lawyer could be linked to more cases as there may be victims who have yet to lodged a report.

Her allegedly began siphoning thousands of ringgit from her clients two years ago.

But her operation began to uravel in October last year when 10 of her clients barged into her law firm in Jalan Wangsa Delima 5, in Wangsa Maju, claiming that she had been swindling theirmoney.

The disgruntled clients and a partner of her firm then lodged police reports the same day.

“She was the lawyer appointed by the clients to manage legal matters pertaining to the purchase of land and properties.

“Her legal licence has been suspended since June 2012 and her 29-year-old partner in the firm has taken over the practice,” said a source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The suspect has been on the run for almost a year until she turned herself in at the Wangsa Maju district police headquarters on Thursday, after being coaxed by her business partner.

“Her movements were fluid and almost always under the radar. We even went to her hometown in Sarawak to track her down, but our efforts were futile.

“Police are also working at confiscating the lawyer’s assets, believed to have been accumulated through her ill-gotten gains.”

Kuala Lumpur Commercial Crime Investigation Department chief Assistant Commissioner Izany Abdul Ghany said police would compile other reports that could have been lodged against the lawyer nationwide.

“It is serious offence because it involves huge sums of money.”

The New Straits Times went to her former law firm yesterday and found it closed. Efforts to call the office’s general number were unsuccessful.