Kota Kinabalu: An unemployed man was sent to prison for two years on Tuesday for hiding stolen properties belonging to a preschool in Gaya island.
Usman Mohd Walie, 28, pleaded guilty before High Court Senior Assistant Registrar Aydiel Putra Alwi, who sat as a Magistrate, to committing the offence.
Usman admitted to voluntarily assisting in concealing the stolen items - two fans, a unit of wireless microphone, a unit of socket and two units of speaker, belonging to the Tabika Kemas, Kg Kesuapan, on March 27, at 9 am, in the said village’s electrical substation.
The offence under Section 414 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to seven years or fine or both, on conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ling Guong Zhin informed the court that the preschool was broken into on March 25 and several properties worth RM300 were stolen.
On March 27, Usman was arrested by police and led them to a location where he hid the stolen goods.
Duty counsel Lim Ming Zoong representing Usman requested leniency.
Usman was ordered to serve the sentence from the date of his arrest.
In another case, two scrap metal collectors were jailed 10 months each for committing mischief on cables belonging to a telecommunication company.
Augustine Wong, 42, and Cassey Connel, 34, pleaded guilty to committing the crime on March 28, at 5.40am at the roadside of Penampang bypass, Penampang.
The duo committed the offence along with two accomplices still at large.
The charge under Section 431A of the Penal Code, carries a jail term of up to two years or fine or both, on conviction.
The court was informed by the prosecution that on the said day the police patrol found a suspicious car parked by the roadside and when inspected, four men were seen burning cables.
The men fled when they realised the presence of the police but two of them were arrested.
The copper cables belonging to Telekom Malaysia were also recovered from them.
Wong and Cassey were ordered to serve the jail sentence from the date of their arrest.
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old Filipino was sentenced to one month jail for having items believed to be stolen.
Unemployed Mohamad Asdali admitted before Magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie to having a speaker and a hammer which he failed to explain on how he obtained them on Jan 2, at 2.45pm, at the roadside of Kg Tatahan Inanam.
He was charged under Section 22A of the Minor Offences Ordinance which provides for a fine of up to RM100 or up to three months jail or both on conviction.
Inspector Suzie S. Kupit prosecuted.
