Junaini Bin Manin

Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision

Junaini bin Manin, an advocate and solicitor of 18 years' standing, pleaded guilty to five counts of criminal breach of trust under s 409 Penal Code (with eight taken into consideration) for dishonestly misappropriating over $1.36 million of clients' funds over about seven years, affecting 12 clients. He was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment. The Law Society applied to make absolute an order to show cause. As the conviction involved dishonesty committed in his capacity as a solicitor, due cause was shown. The High Court (three judges) found him unfit for the profession and ordered him struck off the roll, with costs fixed at $3,000.

Duties found breached:

• Personal probity and fitness to practise
• No improper use of client money

Aggravating factors:

• Total of $1,360,185.12 misappropriated on the five charges ($1,682,929.55 including all charges)
• Defalcation over about seven years involving 12 client victims
• No restitution made and no prospect of repayment
• Funds squandered on personal expenses including housing loan, three cars, credit cards
• Qualified as a 'worst case scenario' category

Mitigating factors:

• First offender
• Principal breadwinner for two families
• Pleaded guilty at first instance and co-operated with police
• Committed offences out of desperation after losing money in bad investments
• Remorseful and returned from Australia to face charges
• Failure to make restitution due to impecuniosity, not deliberate
• Made social contributions to the community