The Magistrate’s Court has handed down sentences to two Malaysians who have pleaded guilty to charges of practising medicine or surgery and providing facial treatments without a licence.
Liza Toong, 27, was sentenced to six months’ jail and fined BND3,500. Failure to pay the fine would led Toong to serve additional three months.
Thirty-four-year-old Victoria Lorina anak Saini was ordered to settle a BND3,500 fine, or serve three months’ jail in default of payment.
After pleading guilty on July 8, the case was scheduled for July 13 for sentences to be handed down. However, Senior Magistrate Azrimah Abdul Rahman reserved making decision to ponder over a fitting punishment and handed the sentences on July 18.
Prosecutor Siti Khalillah Hussin revealed that Toong is a self-employed beautician, while Victoria Lorina provides facial aesthetic services in Bintulu, Sarawak.
Police investigations also showed that there was a Facebook post stating that Toong would be visiting Brunei between March 18 and 19 to provide facial aesthetic services.
Before Toong headed for Brunei, she asked Victoria Lorina to come along with, which she agreed to.
Interested customers would book slots on the Facebook post, which Toong would in turn contact to confirm and inform them of the venue.
A public member had tipped the authorities off. This prompted a joint-agency team of enforcers from the Royal Brunei Police Force, Ministry of Health, Immigration and National Registration Department and Royal Customs and Excise Department to launch a raid on the afternoon of March 18.
The personnel zeroed in on the location and barged into the hotel room in the capital.
The duo were found in the midst of providing aesthetic beauty services of clinical nature and were immediately taken in for investigations.
Among the services offered were facial fillers, teeth whitening, nose threading and dimple creations with prices ranging from BND35 to BND180. – Fadley Faisal
