Youth gets 10 months’ jail for suicide bid

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KOTA KINABALU: For attempting to commit suicide, a 21-year-old youth will get to spend the next 10 months in jail.

Magistrate Mohd Faiz Omar sentenced Brandon Deo Campo to 10 months jail after he pleaded guilty to attempting to commit suicide from the fifth storey of the Megalong Shopping Complex in Donggongon, Penampang on December 13, this year at around 6.40am.

The misdemeanour under Section 309 of the Penal Code is punishable with a prison term not exceeding one year, a fine, or both, upon conviction.

According to the facts of the case, it was stated that on December 13, a police corporal received information from a member of the public at around 6.40 am that a person was planning to commit suicide at the Megalong building.

The police, upon arriving at the scene, spotted a young man sitting on the edge of the balcony of the fifth floor parking lot.

The police and members of the Fire and Rescue department took immediate action to calm Brandon and persuade him not to jump down before pulling him to safety in the shopping mall.

Brandon was then brought to the Penampang police station for questioning where he revealed his intention to jump off the building as he was facing family problems.

According to the police, there was a very narrow chance of him surviving falling from the height had he jumped off the building.

During mitigation, Brandon pleaded to the magistrate to be released and promised not to repeat his action.

Prosecuting officer, Inspector Syahrin Ali, stated the testimony from Brandon and the rampancy of such incidents should be taken into consideration by the court when meting out an appropriate sentence.

“In December alone, there had been two suicide cases in the city, one in Kampung Air and one at Centre Point,” he said, when pressing the court to mete out a heavy sentence on Brandon.

Before passing his judgement, Mohd Faiz told Brandon that suicide is becoming rampant and is wrong in the eyes of the law and religion.

“Suicide is not a solution to any problem,” the magistrate advised the accused.