Five Japanese men in Penang scam probe unable to enter plea as language hurdle delays court proceedings

KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Proceedings against five Japanese men linked to an international scam syndicate were delayed at the Magistrates’ Court in Bukit Mertajam today after language barriers prevented charges from being read out.

Berita Harian reported that all five accused — identified as Nakahara Riku, Matsumoto Ryuto, Dono Harisu, Inaba Sho and Umeda Tokeya — are in their 20s to 40s and do not understand either Malay or English.

As a result, the charges could not be formally read to them during today’s proceedings.

Magistrate Roshayati Radellah instead fixed June 22 for mention of the case to allow a Japanese-speaking interpreter to be present in court.

The court also denied bail for all five accused.

The case was prosecuted by deputy public prosecutor Zulfadzli Hassan, while the accused were not represented by counsel.

Earlier reports said police in Penang had dismantled three international scam syndicates in separate raids on call centre premises around Bukit Mertajam earlier this month.

The syndicates were believed to be involved in love scams, cryptocurrency fraud and phone scams, and were reportedly operating by impersonating Japanese police officers to deceive victims in Japan and Taiwan.