Ex-jpj deputy D-g fined for using emergency lane

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Yusoff emerging from the court room. He was fined maximum RM2,000 in default four months imprisonment for driving on the emergency lane. — Bernama photo

PUTRAJAYA: A Road Transport Department (JPJ) former deputy director-general (Planning and Operations) was fined the maximum RM2,000 in default four months imprisonment for driving on the emergency lane.

Magistrate Muhammad Zaki Abd Kudos meted out the penalty to Datuk Yusoff Ayob, 58, after finding him guilty of committing the offence at the Lingkaran Putrajaya emergency lane in Putrajaya at 6.27 pm on Oct 7, 2016.

On July 18, Yusoff was fined RM600 after being charged in the magistrate’s court.

But he did not present himself in court and had instead sent his special officer to plead guilty on his behalf.

On July 21, the Kuala Lumpur High Court through judicial commissioner Datuk Indera Ab Karim Ab Rahman ordered him to be charged with the offence again after revising the earlier decision of the magistrate’s court.

Yusoff claimed trial to the charge of violating Rule 53(1) of the Road Traffic Rule 1959, under Section 119(1)(c) punishable under Section 119(2) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a fine of not more than RM2,000 or imprisonment of not more than six months upon conviction.

Five prosecution witnesses and two defence witnesses testified at the trial.

Yusoff was defended by counsel Datuk Baljit Singh Sidhu, while the prosecution by deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Muhammad Izzat Fauzan.

Prior to sentencing today, counsel submitted in mitigation that the offence committed by his client was not a criminal offence under the Penal Code but only a traffic offence under the Road Transport Act.

But DPP urged the court to impose both a fine and custodial sentence, “considering that the accused had misused his power and broken the law”.

Meanwhile, Yusoff who paid the fine, declined to comment when approached and left it to his lawyer to give a statement.

Baljit Singh when asked whether he would appeal, replied that he had not received any instruction from his client.

On whether the court’s decision would affect Yusoff’s term of service, he said the latter had only committed a normal traffic offence.

“This offence cannot be registered under the crime registry,” he said, as Yusoff who was transferred to the Public Service Department on July 21, stood next to him appearing calm and smiling. — Bernama