Kota Kinabalu: Eight men, who pleaded guilty to gambling (playing Mah Jong in public), were among 14 people fined a total of RM9,700, by the Magistrate’s Court for engaging in illegal gambling activities.
The eight – Chin Nyuk Chung, 75, Ting Choong Onn, 73, Ling Neng Sung, 67, Felix Tseu Vun Yie, 38, Wong Kim Leng, 38, Chung Tien Sang, 69, Shim Yin Chung, 72, and Thien Thien Yu, 75, had committed the offence on Feb 12, this year, in a unit at Taman Foh Sang shophouse, Jalan Kolam, here.
Magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie ordered them to pay a fine of RM500 or one-week jail each.
Pleading for leniency, Shim said some of them were senior citizens while Wong said they were just passing their time since they were no longer working.
The facts of the case, presented by the prosecution, stated that the police detained the men, who were playing mah jong, in a raid at the said place following tipoff.
The paraphernalia including cash amounting to RM13,721 from the eight were seized by the police.
The eight were charged under Section 7(2) of the Common Gaming House Act, which provides for a fine of up to RM5,000 or up to six months jail, or both, on conviction.
Meanwhile, four women – Florance Lugani, Jelina Abdul Latip, Rose Ansakit and Erleen Esmerelda – aged between 25 and 36, respectively, admitted to purchasing illegal lottery tickets.
They had committed the offence under Section 9 (1) of the same Act, at separate locations in Inanam, Bandaran Berjaya and Kepayan between Oct 21, 2023 and June 12, this year.
Florance was ordered to pay a fine of RM1,000 or one-month jail while the rest were fined RM800 or one-month jail each.
The other two – Nur Erlina, 20, and Jumri Enteng, 37 – pleaded guilty to engaging in an online gambling using their handphones in Inanam on June 12, this year and on Feb 20m this year at Taman Satria, respectively.
Nur and Jumri were fined RM1,500 and RM800, respectively, or one-month jail.
They were charged under Section 7(2) of the same Act.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhammad Al-Hakim Abdul Razak and inspector Suzie SK prosecuted.
