Kota Kinabalu: A 27-year-old man was fined RM5,600 or three days’ jail by the Magistrate’s Court here for damaging telecommunications cables.
Shahnizam Kakim pleaded guilty before Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin to, together with two others still at large, committing mischief by cutting telecommunications cables belonging to Telekom Malaysia Berhad at a manhole by the roadside along Jalan Kepayan at 7.45am on Jan 19 this year.
The charge under Section 431A of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to two years, or a fine, or both, on conviction.
According to the prosecution, a police team conducting surveillance at the location observed three men behaving suspiciously near a manhole for about 15 minutes. They were seen cutting cables before police moved in.
Upon approach, all three men acted aggressively, but only Shahnizam was apprehended while the other two escaped.
Police seized seven types of tools believed to have been used to cut the cables, as well as a two-foot-long 800-pair cable belonging to Telekom Malaysia.
An inspection by Telekom Malaysia confirmed that the damaged cable belonged to the company.
Meanwhile, a 27-year-old woman was fined RM1,300 or one month’s jail for gambling in a public place.
Rohina Ijan pleaded guilty to committing the offence at a stairway area behind a restaurant in Donggongon, Penampang, at 4pm on Jan 9 this year.
The charge under Section 7(2) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 provides a fine of up to RM5,000, or imprisonment of up to six months, or both, on conviction.
The court heard from the prosecution that police, acting under “Op Dadu”, arrested Rohina at the location for conducting illegal online gambling activities.
Seized items included RM26 in cash, a mobile phone, and a piece of paper containing an ID and password.
Unrepresented, Rohina requested a lower fine. Inspector Yusdi Basri, prosecuting, applied a deterrent sentence and ordered the seized money to be forfeited.
The court directed that the seized cash be forfeited to the Government.
.jpg)
