BUKIT MERTAJAM, May 21 – JJPTR founder Johnson Lee and two of his aides remand extended at Bukit Mertajam magistrate’s court here on this morning. The remand application has been rejected by magistrate Diannee Ningrad Nor Azahar and they has been brought to Ibu Pejabat Daerah Seberang Prai Tengah.
Earlier today, the trio was taken to the Bukit Mertajam courthouse at 10:55am, with hands cuffed and was led in by two police officers. After the decision was made at 1:50pm, their lawyer G. Jaya Prem, told reporters that Diannee denied the fresh application by the police to remand them.
He said his clients had been detained for the past six days and have been cooperative with the police. He also said that the public interest is better served when the police respond to the cooperation by the trio. It is not known if the trio will be rearrested after released from Ibu Pejabat Daerah Seberang Prai Tengah.
The three men were initially arrested in a 4.30am operation in Petaling Jaya on May 16 (Tuesday) and remanded till May 18 (Thursday). The three men were investigated for a fraud case involving RM56,400 under Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating. On May 18, police requested for a three day remand extension but were only granted an additional day by the courts.
They were released on police bail in Petaling Jaya on Friday after their remand expired, but were rearrested shortly afterwards. Last Friday, a task force from Bukit Aman’s Anti-Money Laundering squad, CCID, Bank Negara, the Companies Commission of Malaysia, Inland Revenue Department, National Revenue Recovery Enforcement Team and Cyber Security raided eight JJPTR premises in Penang.
Among the locations targeted by the task force were offices and residential units. During raids, 15 JJPTR employees and four investors aged between 23 and 40 had their statements recorded by police. JJPTR, a Penang-based company, came under scrutiny after investors said they had not been receiving their scheduled monthly payment. Lee had reportedly claimed that the company’s account had been hacked, leading to a loss of US$400 million (RM1.738bil). — PN
