Kota Kinabalu: A 58-year-old man was fined a total of RM21,000 for two counts of using electricity that bypasses the meter terminals, causing the Sabah Electricity to undercharge and incur losses.
Voo Hen Sang @ Tonny pleaded guilty before Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan, to both charges against him, Monday.
Advertisement
On the first count, Voo was fined RM1,000 or 14 days’ jail for dishonestly using electricity through the installation of a black bypass cable connected to the terminal of meter number 99178340 on the red phase.
On the second count, he was ordered to pay another RM20,000 fine or spend five months in prison for fraudulently using electricity through the installation of a blue bypass cable connected to the terminal of meter number 98992844 on the red and blue phases.
The charges stated the offences committed by Voo had caused the Sabah Electricity to undercharge and incur losses.
He committed the offences on Feb 24, this year, at 4.40pm and 8pm at Kg Kauluan in Tamparuli.
The offence, under Sub-61(3)(c) of the Electricity Supply Enactment 2024, and punishable under Sub-Section 61(3)(ii) of the same Enactment, provides for a fine of between RM20,000 and RM1 million, or both, on conviction.
In mitigation, Voo through his counsel Jeremy Ho, asked for a lenient fine, saying that it was his first offence.
In reply, Prosecution Officer Nureen Natasha Mohd Raffie from the Energy Commission of Sabah (ECOS) urged for a deterrent sentence on the grounds Voo had committed a serious offence which had caused losses to the Sabah Electricity and to serve as a lesson to him and would-be offenders.
