Eight months’ jail for possessing child sexual abuse material

KUCHING: A 38-year-old man was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment and fined RM5,000, in default three months’ imprisonment, by the Magistrates’ Court here today for possessing child sexual abuse material on his laptop.

Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan handed down the sentence after the accused, Casimir Mangan, pleaded guilty to the charge under Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

Section 10 of the Act provides for imprisonment of up to five years, or a fine of up to RM10,000, or both, for the offence.

The court also ordered him to undergo one year of supervision at the Batu Kawa Police Station following his sentence.

The court heard that police had acted on intelligence regarding child pornography before conducting a search at the accused’s residence at Kampung Stapok, Jalan Batu Kawa, at about 9:00 am on September 14.

During the inspection, police found child sexual abuse material stored on an Asus laptop belonging to the accused.

Investigations by the D11 Sexual, Women and Children Investigation Division found about 2,774 videos and images containing child sexual abuse material on the laptop.

The laptop was subsequently seized by police. The investigations found that the laptop was in the accused’s possession and under his control when the inspection was carried out.

The information leading to the investigation was reportedly obtained through intelligence gathered by the D11 MICAC Unit of Bukit Aman and subsequently referred to Sarawak police for further action.

Deputy Public Prosecutor, Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani, appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was unrepresented.