KUCHING: A local man was fined RM2,000 in default of one month in jail after pleading guilty to operating an entertainment centre beyond the allotted time.
The accused Easpheren Vellapanaikar, 29, who is the manager of the premises, made his plea to a charge read before Magistrate Zaiton Anuar.
According to the charges, he is accused of committing the offence at an entertainment centre in Jalan Petanak around 3.20am on Oct 30.
He was, therefore, charged under Section 24 of the Entertainment Ordinance 2001 and punished under Section 28 of the same Ordinance.
If convicted, the accused can be fined up to RM2,000, or a jail term of up to one year, or both.
According to the facts of the case, a team from Kuching Criminal Investigation Division (CID) carried out an operation codenamed ‘Op Noda-Pusat Hiburan’ at Jalan Petanak.
Upon arriving, they found that the entertainment centre was still operating and several items including a laptop, two amplifiers, and a speaker, were seized.
Further investigation found that the accused had committed an offence of operating the premises more than the hours set by the Kuching South City Council (MBKS).
Inspector Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang prosecuted the case while the accused was unrepresented by a counsel.
