Kota Kinabalu: A 45-year-old mechanic was sentenced to seven months’ jail by the Magistrate’s Court here, Tuesday, for dishonestly disposing of a stolen power amplifier.
Bensulianoh Abd Hamid pleaded guilty before Magistrate Dzul Elmy Yunus to committing the offence at CW Auto Parts workshop, EUC Centre, Jalan KK–KB, Tuaran, at 2pm, on Oct 18 this year.
He was charged under Section 414 of the Penal Code for intentionally disposing of a stolen item, namely a four-channel MOSFET power amplifier bearing the word
‘Trans’, which he knew, or had reason to believe, to be stolen property.
The charge carries a jail term of between six months and seven years and liability of a fine on conviction.
Inspector Mohamad Hamidi Mohamad Hamzah informed the court that the complainant, a man from Kg Mabpai, Jalan Nikmat, Luyang, had on Oct 16 handed his car to Bensulianoh to be repaired at Telipok Ria after being told the vehicle had an oil plug problem.
The next day, Bensulianoh returned the car, and the complainant later discovered that several valuable items, including a power amplifier, were missing, with total losses estimated at RM1,455.
Following a police report, investigations revealed that Bensulianoh had personally collected the car from the complainant’s home, claiming he would bring it to his workshop for repairs.
Acting on information, a police team arrested Bensulianoh on Oct 21 in Tuaran.
Unrepresented, Bensulianoh requested a lenient sentence while Hamidi applied a deterrent sentence.
In another case, a 24-year-old woman was fined RM1,000 or three months’ jail by the same court for purchasing two unlicensed public lottery tickets.
Siti Nur Zaleha Amil Hussin admitted to committing the offence near the staircase beside a restaurant in Manggatal Town, at 3pm on Oct 18, this year.
Hamidi informed the court that a police team conducted an Op Dadu operation in the area when they noticed a woman, later identified as Siti, buying illegal lottery tickets known as ‘Hwa Hui’.
The officers approached and inspected her, finding two receipts containing printed numbers believed to be bets for an unlicensed two-digit public lottery.
Siti was arrested, and the gambling materials were seized for investigation, said Hamidi, adding that a gambling expert’s report later confirmed the seized receipts were indeed unlicensed lottery tickets.
Siti was convicted under Section 9(1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953.
Meanwhile, a 36-year-old man was fined RM100 or eight weeks’ jail for failing to explain a cash deposit of RM16,700 in his bank account, two years ago.
Mohd Fazlee Shah Roslee admitted to committing the offence on Sept 11, 2023, at Donggongon Town, Penampang.
He was charged under Section 22A(1) of the Minor Offences Ordinance, which provides for a fine of up to RM100 or a jail term of up to three months or both on conviction.
The court heard from the prosecution that the complainant had received a phone call from a person claiming to be a police officer, who alleged that the complainant was involved in a criminal case.
The caller then instructed the complainant to transfer RM16,700 into Fazlee’s account to “settle” the matter.
The complainant later realised he had been cheated when the caller’s number became unreachable and subsequently lodged a police report.
Unrepresented, Fazlee requested a lower fine.
