KOTA KINABALU: Thirty-three men and women who were arrested during a recent casino raid in Penampang were fined a total of RM165,000, while some were also jailed, by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday.
Fifteen of them were fined RM5,000, in default, six months’ jail and were also sentenced to four days’ jail after they admitted to managing and controlling the casino.
The accused pleaded guilty to the charge under Section 4(1)(c) of the Common Gambling Houses Act 1953 which carries a fine of RM5,000 to RM50,000 and a maximum three years’ jail, upon conviction.
The other 18, including nine women, were fined RM5,000 each, in default, six months’ jail for participating in the gambling activities.
They pleaded guilty to the charge under Section 6(1) of the Betting Act 1953 which provides for a maximum fine of RM5,000 or a maximum six months’ jail, or both, upon conviction.
The accused were between 20 and 67 years old. Five of them are Indonesian women.
They were all arrested on January 16 at around 12.05am at the casino, which was located at Jalan Bundusan, Penampang.
The police seized a total of RM128,388 in cash and 17,994 pieces of ‘roulette’ and ‘baccarat’ gambling chips.
Also seized were four computers, 15 mobile phones and 22 chairs.
The casino was raided just eight hours after it began its operation.
In mitigation, counsel Edward Paul, who acted for the accused, applied for a low sum of bail on the grounds that the accused were first offenders and they were remorseful for the actions.
He added that the accused had been remanded for four days and they had co-operated well with the police.
Edward also applied for the seized money to be returned to the rightful owners.
In their reply, prosecuting officers Inspector Rasydan Jasni and ASP Sabrina Jinius told the court that the RM98,000 cash seized from the counter was still being investigated under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2001.
Magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie ordered the RM98,000 in cash to be kept by the prosecution pending the disposal of the said investigation.
Stephanie also ordered the remaining portion of the cash to be returned to the rightful owners, as well as the seized mobile phones and passports.
Muniswaran Rajendran acted as the investigating officer.