Kota Kinabalu: A 48-year-old car washer was on Tuesday fined RM700 or one-month jail for smoking at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) last year, which is a non-smoking area.
Bobby Umol pleaded guilty before Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles to smoking in the lobby of the KKIA at 8.15pm on July 21, 2022.
Health prosecuting officer Arnila Ahmad informed the court that health officers carrying out the enforcement of the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004 at the said premises, saw a man smoking in a no-smoking area at the airport.
The officers then approached the man, later identified as Bobby, introduced themselves and informed him that the airport area is a no-smoking area.
The officers then took the cigarette from Bobby to be used as an exhibit and handed notice to him, the court heard.
Bobby had violated Regulation 11(1) (g) of the Control of Tobacco Products Regulations 2004 and committed an offence under Regulation 11(3) of the same Regulations which provides for a fine of up to RM10,000 or imprisonment of up to two years on conviction.
Bobby, who was not represented, requested a lenient sentence saying that he has six children and only earns a small salary as a car washer.
Arnila submitted that Bobby was offered a compound of RM250 but failed to pay the compound and applied for an adequate sentence.
When asked by the court why he did not settle the compound, Bobby replied that he did not have money to pay at the time as he could not afford it.
The prosecution informed the court that Bobby was given time to settle the compound until December 2022 but it was not settled even until the case was registered in court.
In another case, an unemployed man was charged with molesting a woman.
Mohd Azrin Mohd Ripae was accused of committing the offence at an office in Ketiau, Putatan, at 2.20pm on Aug 2.
Azrin pleaded not guilty to the charge under Section 354 of the Penal Code.
Inspector Kelvan Elson Maik prosecuting, in applying for case management, proposed bail at RM5,000 in two sureties.
Duty counsel Carmen Khoo, representing Azrin, requested a lower bail on the grounds that the accused is married and currently unemployed.
The court fixed Sept 11 for case management and released the accused on a bail of RM2,000 in two sureties.
