Another 4 complainants file reports and 377 bank satements received by Police

Police prosecutor ASP Anil Prasad informed the court the investigating officers had recovered an operating device and 104 more assorted ATM cards from a hotel in Nadi where the six Chinese nationals were staying since their arrival in the country on December 2.

He said they had also received statements from four more complainants and had also obtained 377 bank statements from Westpac, ANZ and BSP.

The six men, who are allegedly involve in the ATM scam, have been charged with eight counts of dishonestly obtaining or dealing in personal financial information and theft as investigations continue.

The six, Zhong Chenhua, Sanlin Xie, Changbao Xie, Liu Jinling, Weiqiang Liu and Yanyan Yang appeared before Magistrate Siromi Turaga at the Nadi Magistrates Court on Thursday because there was no magistrates court sitting at Lautoka.

ASP Prasad informed the court that investigations were still ongoing and there could be an increase in the number of counts against the accused persons.

The Prosecution informed the court that 384 ATM cards and cash totalling $22,807 were recovered from the six men.

The accused were supposed to return to China on December 7 with the alleged offence taking place on December 6.

The charges were read out to them, translated by an interpreter in Cantonese and Madarin and understood by the accused persons.

The accused persons, through their interpreter, informed the court that they would be hiring a lawyer and would be co-operating with the law.

ASP Prasad requested that the accused be further remanded in custody to allow Police to finish their investigations.

Magistrate Turaga adjourned the case to be called at the Nadi Magistrates Court on January 7, 2016.

An order was also made for the interpreter to liaise with the Natabua Corrections Service and talk to the accused person to arrange with the lawyer they wished to hire.

Edited by Manasa Kalouniviti

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