Kota Kinabalu: A 36-year-old man was sentenced to 12 months’ jail by the Magistrate’s Court here for disposing of stolen property.
Taufiq Karman pleaded guilty before Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin to dishonestly disposing of a stolen cash drawer belonging to Aw Mui Lin at a bush area along Jalan HSK Puluduk, HSK Industrial Centre, Penampang, at 1.30pm on March 16.
The charge under Section 414 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both, on conviction.
According to the prosecution, the complainant discovered that her restaurant at Towering, Penampang, had been broken into at about 4.45am on March 10. Checks revealed that cash, handphones and a cash drawer were missing.
On March 15 at 3.30am, police arrested Taufiq near a petrol station along Jalan Tuaran Bypass, Manggatal, on suspicion of involvement in the case.
During questioning, Taufiq led police to a bush area where the stolen cash drawer had been discarded. The item was recovered and seized for further action.
Meanwhile, in a separate case, a second-hand car dealer was jailed six months for dishonestly retaining a stolen vehicle.
George Chong, 40, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Wan Farrah Farriza Wan Ghazali to retaining a stolen Proton Persona and its car key belonging to Rahmat Hidayat Arif at the roadside in front of a shop at Taman Telipok Ria, Jalan Telipok Lama, Tuaran, at 3.40pm on March 13.
The charge under Section 411 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of between six months and five years, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
The court heard from the prosecution that the complainant discovered his maroon Proton Persona missing from behind a shoplot in Penampang Baru at about 3am on March 8.
Acting on information, police arrested Chong at the location on March 13, where he was found inside the stolen vehicle with its key in his possession.
The vehicle and key were seized and he was brought to the Penampang District Police Headquarters for further investigation.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Akaash Singh and Inspector Yusdi Basri prosecuted.
