SANDAKAN: A lorry driver was yesterday sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment and three strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here for armed gang robbery.
Sahril Bin Tahir, 24, pleaded guilty before judge Ummu Khalthom Abdul Samad to a charge under Section 395/397 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine.
According to the facts of the case, the accused and two other men who are still at large, rented a Perodua Viva car and drove to a house in Taman IJM, Mile 6, Labok Road from Kampung Melayu on January 8 this year around 2.10am.
The three who were armed with machetes, forced their way into the house by cutting open an iron grille on the main sliding door of the house.
An occupant in the house who saw the armed trio cutting the door grille, ran to his bedroom to rouse his friend, and they decided to lock their door and it was kicked open by the robbers.
Around 10 minutes later, they saw the gang leaving the house in a white Perodua Viva car with their electronic devices, jewelry, cash and identification cards.
The accused, who was the driver of the car, was arrested the following day, January 9 around 2.20pm, at Sibuga township in Mile 8.