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PETALING JAYA - A Pakistani was yesterday charged with the murder of a real estate agent and later using the victim's debit card to make several purchases.

Ishtiaq Ahmad Khan, 25, who worked as a security guard, was accused of murdering Tang Yong Ching, with several others still at large, at an office unit in Ara Damansara between 4pm and 11pm on July 5. No plea was recorded for that charge.

The Pakistani, however, pleaded guilty to three counts of cheating when he used the victim's debit card to make purchases, which included tomatoes, chillis and a cabbage.

Ishtiaq first used the card on July 6 when he cheated cashier Ros Nizam Mohd Ramli at the Tesco outlet in Mutiara Damansara.

Less than an hour later, he used the same card to pay for an Acer laptop costing RM1,499 by cheating B. Punitha into believing he was the owner of the debit card.

The following day, he tried to cheat Zainab Mohamad, 25, in the purchase of a HP notebook costing RM3,099 at the AEON supermarket in Bandar Utama.

Magistrate Nor Afidah Idris fixed Sept 18 for mention of the murder case and also for sentencing on the cheating cases.

Deputy public prosecutor Saphirra Selamat appeared for the prosecution while Ishtiaq was not represented.

Tang, 45, was reported missing on July 5 by his wife, Ng Mooi Ning, 42, after he failed to return home from an appointment with a house buyer. The father of two was found strangled a week later.