MELAKA: A 63-year-old man and his three children pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court in Ayer Keroh here to charges of cheating involving a non-existent sand mining project.

       Wong Tiing Kiong claimed trial yesterday before judge Nariman Badruddin to allegedly influencing, luring and cheating a company to pay for the said project.

       Based on the charge sheet, the company had issued two separate cheques totalling RM1mil at a bank in Taman Melaka Raya here on April 19, 2009.

       Tiing Kiong faced the charge under Section 420 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to 10 years, fine and whipping, upon conviction.

       In the subsequent proceeding before judge Maziah Joary Tajudin, Tiing Kiong’s three children were also charged with committing a similar offence on the same day.

       The accused - Felix Wong Sing Jie, 27, Wong Sing Kung, 43, and Amy Wong E Tim, 33 - also claimed trial to a charge framed under Section 420 of the Penal Code.

       The three siblings had allegedly committed the offence on the same date as their father.

       Both cases will be mentioned on Feb 21.