Man slapped with RM3,500 fine for trying to steal utility cables in Kuching

KUCHING (March 24): A 38-year-old was fined RM3,500 in default six months’ imprisonment by the Magistrates’ Court here for attempting to steal utility cables belonging to a telecommunications company.

Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan convicted Zarkuan Sazali on his own guilty plea to a charge under Section 379 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 511 of the same Code.

Section 379 carries a jail term of up to seven years and a fine upon conviction.

Subsequent offences shall be punished with imprisonment, a fine, and caning, meanwhile Section 511 states that any imprisonment term shall not exceed one-half of the longest term provided for the offence.

Zarkuan was found attempting to steal cables at Kampung Tanjung here at around 5am on March 17.

According to the facts of the case, the village chief lodged a police report after two unknown men — one of whom was later identified as Zarkuan — were found attempting to steal cables.

The village chief stated that Zarkuan and his alleged accomplice were travelling in two separate vehicles.

They were said to have fled on Jalan Merdeka towards Tupong before turning back to Kampung Tanjung to retrieve the cables believed to have been cut earlier.

However, their attempt to recover the cables was thwarted by villagers, who prevented them from taking the items.

The men then fled towards Kampung Sinjan.

Acting on intelligence, police successfully tracked down the suspects and arrested them.

Police investigations further revealed that video footage from the area captured Zarkuan attempting to steal the cables.

It is understood that the other individual accompanying Zarkuan has denied any involvement.

Additionally, Ling also fined Zarkuan RM2,000 in default seven months’ jail for abusing amphetamine and methamphetamine under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 (DDA).

In another courtroom, Zarkuan was fined a further RM2,300 in default six months’ imprisonment under the same Section of the DDA by Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan.

Both magistrates also ordered Zarkuan to undergo two years’ supervision upon the completion of his sentence or payment of the fines.

Deputy public prosecutors Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani and Chuah Kai Sheng appeared separately for the prosecution, while Zarkuan was unrepresented.