Kota Kinabalu: A company was fined RM20,000 for taking electricity supply, without going through meter, that belonged to Sabah Electricity (SE) which caused losses of RM33,057.90.
Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan meted out the sentence to Kembara Kini Sdn Bhd after its Director pleaded guilty to the charge against the company.
If the company failed to pay the fine, a warrant of levy shall be issued.
It was found that the electricity was fraudulently taken by bypassing directly without going through the meter from the service line owned by SE at 5.30pm on May 9, 2024 at the Borneo Ant House, KM6.5 in Kg Kindu, Jalan Tuaran-Tenghilan.
The offence, under Section 61(3)(a) of the Electricity Supply Enactment 2024, carries a fine of between RM20,000 and RM1 million, or a jail term of up to five years, or both, on conviction.
During mitigation, the company’s representative asked for a lenient sentence.
However, Prosecuting Officer Andryeno Thomas from the Sabah Energy Commission, urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence as the stolen electricity was used to power a commercial operation and the financial losses incurred were substantial.
He also submitted that due to the offence committed by the company, the public safety was gravely endangered.
The court heard that based on the SE report, the Borneo Ant House premises operated by Kembara Kini Sdn. Bhd was suspected of making illegal electrical connections.
During a raid on May 9, 2024, it was found that three buildings, namely Gigas Homestay, Secret Tree House Homestay, and Dewan Ant Lab, did not have SE electricity meters and were receiving electricity directly through a cable bypass from the SE service line.
Eight types of cables and two meter boards used for illegal connections from the SESB line to the three meterless buildings were seized during the raid.
In addition, a single-phase meter unit with the number 99391980 was also confiscated to be replaced with a new meter.
Investigation findings revealed that illegal connections were made under the control and management of Kembara Kini Sdn. Bhd as evidenced by the physical discovery of eight types of cables bypassing the SESB service line directly to the meterless buildings known as Gigas Homestay, Secret Tree House Homestay, and Dewan Ant Lab.
This action constitutes fraudulent electricity consumption at the Borneo Ant House premises.
