Kuching man suspected of fatally beating stray cat claims trial to committing mischief

KUCHING (Jan 2): A 38-year-old man has claimed trial in the Magistrates’ Court here to a charge of committing mischief by killing a cat using a piece of wood on Jalan Astana here on Tuesday.

The man pleaded not guilty when the charge under Section 428 of the Penal Code was read to him before Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan.

The Section carries a prison sentence of up to three years, or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

The court fixed Feb 10 for pre-trial case management and allowed bail of RM4,500, deposited, with two local sureties.

He allegedly committed the offence at a 24-hour launderette on Jalan Astana here at 12.17pm on Dec 30.

Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani appeared for the prosecution, while the accused was unrepresented.

Police arrested the man on Thursday in connection with the fatal beating of a stray cat, after a video of the incident went viral.

The video circulated widely on Tuesday, prompting a concerned netizen to lodge a police report at the Tabuan Jaya police station the following day.

Kuching police chief ACP Alexson Naga Chabu said initial investigations confirmed the accused’s involvement in the incident and that he tested positive for drugs at the time of his arrest.