Man in Kuching jailed seven months for retaining stolen car

KUCHING (Dec 22): The Magistrates’ Court here on Monday sentenced a man to seven months’ imprisonment for retaining a stolen vehicle in September this year.

Magistrate Nursyaheeqa Nazwa Radzali convicted Mohamad Yusmadi Osman, 40, on his own guilty plea to a charge under Section 411 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of between six months and five years and a possible fine.

The accused committed the offence at a house in Taman Peony, Jalan Matang here at about 5pm on Sept 27.

According to the case facts, the owner of the vehicle was informed by a worker of an automobile service shop in August that his car, which had been parked and locked in front of the shop, had gone missing.

Loss was estimated at RM8,000.

A check of the shop’s closed-circuit television showed three unidentified men stealing the vehicle at 1.20am.

Police investigations led to the vehicle’s recovery and Mohamad Yusmadi’s arrest on Sept 27.

The vehicle’s chassis and registration numbers also matched those of the one reported stolen.

Deputy public prosecutor Chuah Kai Sheng prosecuted, while the accused was unrepresented.