Two men get nine years in jail, seven rotan strokes for armed robbery

The court complex in Kuching.

By Dorcas Ting

KUCHING, Jan 23: Two acquaintances were each sentenced to nine years in prison and seven strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here today for robbing a storekeeper of cash amounting to RM160 and three mobile phones.

Judge Iris Awen Jon made the ruling after Mohamad Zaidel Sidi, 40, and Khairul Amirin Mahmud, 24, pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 395 of the Penal Code read together with Section 397 of the same Code.

If found guilty, the sections stipulate a maximum prison term of 20 years and the possibility of a fine or caning.

The two accused with charged with collectively committing armed robbery with a machete against the storekeeper, an Indonesian national, taking three mobile phones and RM160 in cash at a cafe of a supermarket along Jalan Stephen Yong at approximately 3am on January 8.

During the incident, the complainant, who was the store manager, was informed by an employee that two men had taken three mobile phones and RM160 in cash in a robbery. Mohamad Zaidel (first accused) also brandished a machete at the employee before taking the items and fleeing in a red Perodua Myvi.

A police report was subsequently filed, leading to the arrest of the first accused (Mohamad Zaidel) on the same day, while Khairul was arrested on January 11.

For the record, Mohamad Zaidel had previously been sentenced to five years in prison and one stroke for offenses under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, which could be punished under Section 39C(1)(b) of the same Act for repeated drug abuse.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ruvinasini Pandian handled the prosecution, while the first accused was unrepresented, and the second accused was represented by lawyer Ralph Lee Zhen Jie. — DayakDaily