KOTA KINABALU: The Sessions Court here yesterday sentenced a crocodile caretaker to 18 months’ jail for committing arson after a woman rejected his love.
Judge Duncan Sikodol imposed the sentence on Ajang Wan, 51, after he pleaded guilty to set fire to a workers’ house at a crocodile farm at Kampung Putaton in Penampang, on Jan 10.
He was convicted under Section 436 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and also liable to a fine, upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Azwan Aiman Wan Fakhruddin told the court that the complainant who was tasked to take care of the house had lodged a report against the accused stating that he had committed arson.
Investigation revealed that the accused was under the influence of alcohol when he committed the offence.
A witness saw the accused fleeing the house with one of his legs burnt because of the fire.
In pleading for a light sentence, the undefended accused said he was suffering from mental illness since five years ago where he heard voices asking him to beat and disturb others.
He said he was still under medication and had been admitted to a mental hospital in Kuching, Sarawak, as well as a mental hospital here.
Ajang who hails from Ulu Baram, Sarawak urged the court to impose a lenient sentence as he has children to support.
Wan Azwan Aiman pressed for a deterrent sentence as this offence was a serious one.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian complainant was present in court to explain her impact statement because of the case.
The complainant told the court that she lost among others, cash, electrical appliance and kitchenware.
When asked by the judge what her relation with the accused was, the complainant answered: “None.”
To another question by the court, the complainant said the accused had been begging for her love since September last year but she had explained many times to the accused that she could not accept his love because she has to earn a living to support her children.
She also said every time she told that to the accused, he would come to the said place in a drunken manner and make disturbance by breaking the house door and tables.
However, the accused denied what were said by the complainant.