Agricultural association members plead guilty to trespassing

KUCHING: The Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Jan 24) ordered six men and two women, members of an agricultural association, to be bound over for security for six months.

They were found guilty of trespassing on the land of a senior citizen by expanding sugarcane cultivation without his knowledge.

Wira Majni (41), Yunus Buntok (57), Edward Kuna (40), Was Buang (69), Wan Seman (25), Kamal Anwar (25), Norlide Buntok (60), and Siti Aisah Abdullah (63) each pleaded guilty under Section 67 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC).

Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan ordered all accused to be bound over for security for six months, effective immediately, with a bail of RM500 each and one surety.

According to the case facts, on Oct 7, 2023, around 8.30am, the complainant and his business partner arrived at his father’s 34-acre land on Jalan Akses FAC Matang.

They discovered that an association had expanded sugarcane cultivation on the land without the owner’s knowledge.

The complainant had previously discussed the matter with the first accused (Wira), who was the head of the association. However, specific details were not disclosed. The trespassing had been ongoing since November 2022.

Upon verification with the Land and Survey Office, it was confirmed that the land belonged to the complainant’s 74-year-old father. Subsequently, the complainant filed a police report, leading to the arrest of all eight accused.

Inspector Nur Shafiqa Nyaie Ilin handled the prosecution while none of the accused were represented by lawyers.