Photo shows the exterior of the Kuching Court Complex. — Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (Jan 24): The Magistrates’ Court here today placed eight members of a planters’ association on a six-month peace bond of RM500 each for trespassing on land belonging to a 74-year-old man.
Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan made the order against Wira Majni, Yunus Buntok, Edward Kuna, Was Buang, Wan Seman, Kamal Anwar, Norlide Buntok, and Siti Aisah Abdullah, aged between 25 and 69, after they pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 67 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Based on the facts of the case, on Oct 7, 2023, the owner’s son visited the land measuring 34 acres located near Matang Land District, Jalan FAC Matang here and found members of a planters’ association had expanded their sugarcane cultivation on the land without his knowledge.
The landowner’s son, who was the complainant in this case, tried to discuss the issue with association leader Wira but was ignored.
It is understood that the association had trespassed on the land since 2022.
The complainant reported the matter to the Land and Survey Office and confirmed that the land indeed belonged to his father.
The complainant then lodged a police report, which led to the arrest of the eight individuals on Dec 7, 2023, on the said land.
Insp Nur Shafiqa Nyaie Ilin prosecuted the case, while the eight association members were unrepresented by legal counsel.