A week earlier, Buang Md Sayuti, 42, an administrative assistant, received an email saying that he had won US$1 million (RM3.6 million) in a lucky draw allegedly organised by Microsoft in conjunction with the company's anniversary celebration in London.

Buang responded to the email and provided his personal information as required.

The following day, on Aug 20 last year, he received another email telling him that he would have to pay processing fees and someone would come to his house with his prize money.

Five days later, he received a call from a woman who claimed her name was Sophia Young. She said he must meet her and pay US$2,750 as a fee to release the money from the 'United Kingdom High Commission' warehouse.
Buang said he needed three days to pay the fees. Later, the woman sent him an email telling him to bring a copy of his identity card and the email which told him that he won the prize and the fees.

On Aug 27, Buang called Sophia saying that he would meet her at Kuala Lumpur City Centre and pay the fees. He also called the police to inform them about the meeting.

At KLCC, Sophia asked Buang for the fees and documents she had told him to bring. A while later, police arrived and arrested her.

Yesterday, the woman, whose real name is Peace Okotie, 26, a college student, was sentenced to 15 months' jail after she pleaded guilty of attempting to deceive Buang into believing that she could give him the prize money and inducing him to pay her US$2,750.

She committed the offence at KLCC at 2.45pm on Aug 27, last year.

Magistrate Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin also sentenced her to four months' jail for overstaying.

Earlier in mitigation, counsel B. Renuka pleaded for leniency as the accused came from a poor family.

Deputy public prosecutor Azimul Azami Mohd Nor submitted that as a college student, Okotie should be aware of the consequences of her actions.

 

--ooOOOoo--

 

March 24, 2009 19:18 PM

Nigerian Student Gets 15 Months Jail For Internet Fraud

KUALA LUMPUR, 24 Mac (Bernama) -- A Nigerian student was sentenced to 15 months jail after she pleaded guilty in the Magistrate Court here today to internet fraud.

Peace Okotie, 26, was charged with attempting to cheat an administrative assistant, Buang Md Sayuti, 42, by claiming that she could help bring in US$1 million reward which he won in a Microsoft 2008 contest, despite knowing that she could not do so.

Prosecuting officer Azimul Azimi Md Nor told the court that Buang had received an e-mail, purportedly from Microsoft Internet promotion, informing him that he had won the money in a lucky draw which was held in Stanford Bridge Stadium, London, United Kingdom.

Buang responded to the e-mail, following which he was asked to pay US$2,750 in processing fee to get the reward money.

Realising that it was a fraud, Buang lodged a police report and a meeting was arranged at 2.15pm at KLCC on Aug 27, 2008, with Okotie, who claimed to be Mrs Sophia Young.

Police arrested Okotie soon after Buang handed the money for the alleged processing fee to her.

Magistrate Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin ordered Okotie to serve the sentence from the date of her arrest on Aug 27, 2008.

Okotie, who was in possession of an expired student pass, also pleaded guilty to overstaying in Malaysia and was sentenced to four months jail.

The jail sentences were to be served concurrently.

-- BERNAMA