Businesswoman Charged in RM14,000 ‘Kutu Lelong’ Fraud Case

A Malaysian businesswoman has been charged with multiple counts of cheating after allegedly defrauding a woman of more than RM14,000 through a non-existent “kutu lelong” investment scheme.

Nursafuraa Hamzah, aged 41, appeared in court where she denied all six charges brought against her. The charges relate to an alleged scheme involving a single victim, a 34-year-old woman, who was persuaded to participate in what was presented as a chit fund auction investment.

According to court proceedings, Nursafuraa is accused of misleading the victim into believing in the legitimacy of the scheme and inducing her to transfer funds into a bank account. The transactions reportedly took place between October 23 and November 24 last year at a matriculation college café, where the accused is said to have received multiple payments totalling RM8,350.

Prosecutors stated that the payments were made in stages, including sums of RM2,700, RM3,900, and RM1,750 over several weeks. The case reflects a pattern often seen in informal investment scams, where victims are gradually convinced to increase their financial commitment.

Deputy public prosecutor Siti Nabilah Huda Jasmani initially proposed bail of RM30,000 with one surety for all six charges. However, the defence argued for a reduced amount, citing the accused‘s financial situation. Defence counsel Aiman As’ad Mohd Ghani informed the court that his client earns less than RM3,000 per month and is responsible for supporting two children.

The defence emphasised that bail should serve to ensure court attendance rather than act as a financial punishment. It was further noted that the amount directly involved in the first set of charges was RM8,350, and the accused could reasonably afford RM2,000 per charge.

After considering both arguments, Magistrate Tengku Eliana Tuan Kamaruzaman set bail at RM6,500 with one surety and scheduled the next court mention for May 13.

In a separate hearing before another magistrate, Nursafuraa faced three additional charges involving the same victim. These charges relate to an earlier period between September 18 and September 21, during which she allegedly obtained a further RM5,900 through the same fraudulent scheme.

The court heard that the accused had again misrepresented the investment opportunity, leading the victim to transfer funds on three separate occasions within a short time frame. This brought the total alleged losses to RM14,250.

For these additional charges, deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Najmi Zaki Amer Suhaimi proposed bail of RM15,000 with one surety. The defence maintained its position that a lower bail would be appropriate, stating that the accused could manage RM5,000.

Magistrate Ellyna Othman ultimately set bail at RM9,000 with one surety and likewise fixed May 13 for mention.

All charges were filed under Section 420 of the Penal Code, which addresses cheating offences. If convicted, the accused could face a prison sentence ranging from one to ten years, along with whipping and a possible fine.