SIBU: Police are now trying to locate the whereabouts of a Chinese national whom they believe is a member of a gang bent on cheating locals of their money and jewellery for use in prayer rituals to rid them of bad luck.
Sibu police chief ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit said following a citizen’s arrest on a female suspect on May 12, another victim had come forward to lodge a police report.
He said in the latest case, a 59-year old victim alleged that she had been cheated by a Chinese national of a RM10,000 in cash and jewellery.
The victim in her report said at about 10.30am on March 12, while she was walking along Jalan Channel, three women from China showed up and asked for directions.
“As she was showing them the direction, one of the women told her that her (the victim’s) son who is in Singapore is in poor health and would die soon. Another one was seen calling up a medium who could perform prayers to save her son,” he added.
Subsequently the three women succeeded in coaxing the victim to hand over as much cash and jewellery as possible to them for use in a prayer ritual to get rid of bad luck within 49 days, said Stanley.
They also promised to return her the money after the ritual, he added.
“She agreed and passed them RM6,000 cash, four gold rings and one silver necklace. One of the suspects then handed her a package to bring home. When she opened it later, she realised that she had been duped by them as she found only a bottle of mineral water and a pack of salt inside the package,” he added.
On May 12, a 50-year old woman and her nephew made a citizen’s arrest on a 46-year old female Chinese national at Jalan Mahsuri and handed her to the police. The suspect has been remanded to facilitate police investigation.
The victim claimed that she was cheated of RM20,000 on March 9 by the suspect who claimed she was a medium capable of preventing her eldest child from being killed in an accident.
