BY Fadley Faisal

A 23-year-old local man was sentenced to eight years and six months’ jail with six canings after he pleaded guilty to 12 charges involving housebreaking, mischief and theft, as well as violating the Infectious Diseases Act.

Meanwhile, three other co-accused denied charges pressed against them.

Intermediate Court Judge Harnita Zelda Skinner handed the sentence to Md Azwa’an bin Karim after giving consideration to circumstances of the case, only to find the aggravating factors to stand out.

“The defendant is a repeat offender, clearly unremorseful from his previous crimes and has total disregard of other people’s property,” the Judge stressed.

Prosecutor Aeny Zullizam revealed in court that the defendant broke into a house in Jalan Anggerek Desa in July 2020 for theft.

Police investigations also unearthed that the defendant had broken into a house for theft at Kampong Orang Kaya Besar Imas between May and June 2021.

It was also discovered that the defendant committed housebreaking by night for theft in Jalan Tanjong Selasih, Kampong Mengkubau between August 24 and 28, 2021.

It was also discovered that the defendant committed housebreaking by night for theft in Jalan Tanjung Selasih, RPN Kampong Panchor Mengkubau between August 24 and 28, 2021.

On August 30, 2021 the defendant committed housebreaking by night for theft at a house in Jalan Masjid Salambigar, Lambak Kanan and stole a car.

The court was informed that the defendant tested positive for COVID-19 and was taken in for isolation to the COVID-19 Handling Area Mahad in Tutong District when he escaped from quarantine to go to a nearby shopping mall at 5pm on September 25, 2021.

The defendant also stole a 20-litre barrel containing Regular gasoline from a house at STKRJ Lambak Kanan in October 2021. On the morning of October 10, 2021, the defendant committed mischief by smashing a car window parked at the electrical substation on Meragang Highway and stole a laptop from inside the car.

Between October 11 and 12, 2021, the defendant committed housebreaking by night for theft at Kampong Anggerek Desa.

The defendant also broke into a house to commit theft at Jalan Kebangsaan, Kampong Anggerek Desa on November 19, 2021.

The defendant managed to make away with tens of thousands of dollars worth of property over the course of break-ins and caused damages.

Md Azrian bin Haji Bungsu, 46; Ampuan Nur Suryati binti Ampuan Abdul Hamid, 27; and Haji Yusfadillah bin Haji Yussof, 33, denied charges against them and will be undergoing trial.

However, Haji Yusfadillah pleaded guilty to all of the charges he faced, and the court reserved handing sentence after trial concludes against him for one remaining charge he had denied.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin