Photo shows the exterior of the Kuching Court Complex. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (July 19): An unemployed man was fined RM5,000 in default five months’ jail by the Magistrates’ Court here today for stealing a smartphone.
Saiful Saimi, 22, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi to a charge framed under Section 379 of the Penal Code, which provides for an imprisonment of up to seven years, or a fine, or both, if convicted.
He stole the smartphone belonging to Chan Hung Ken, 26, on July 4, 2022, at about 3.04pm at Kampung Semariang Batu here.
According to the facts of case, the 50-year-old complainant, who was entrusted by Chan to sell the smartphone, had met Saiful, who had earlier on expressed his interest to buy the smartphone, to deliver the gadget to him.
When the complainant handed over the smartphone to Saiful, he said he wanted to show the smartphone to his mother before fleeing with the smartphone without making any payment.
A police report was lodged on the same day and Saiful was subsequently arrested on July 14.
The police investigation revealed that Saiful was supposed to pay RM1,960 in cash to the complainant, but he fled with the phone instead.
The complainant was able to recognise Saiful from a wire cam that he had set up and Chan was also able to recognise that the smartphone was his.
ASP Rogayah Rosli prosecuted the case while Saiful was unrepresented by a counsel.