The Magistrates’ Court has handed down a nine-month prison sentence and a fine of RM3,000 to a habitual thief who was found guilty of housebreaking and stealing a sports utility vehicle (SUV) along with various valuable items belonging to a senior citizen.
Micheal Entalang Lium from Baram pleaded guilty on today (Sept 8) to the charges brought against him under Section 457 of the Penal Code.
The charge was read to him with the assistance of an interpreter, and it pertained to his actions in breaking into a house in Jalan Datuk Sim Kheng Hong South around 2am on Aug 26.
Under Section 457 of the Penal Code, if convicted, the offender can face imprisonment for up to five years and may also be subject to a fine.
If the offence is committed with the intent to commit theft, the imprisonment term can be extended to 14 years. In addition, caning or a fine may be imposed for each subsequent offense.
In the event that the fine is not paid, the court imposed a three-month prison sentence as an alternative.
During the incident, the 64-year-old male complainant awoke to find an unknown intruder rummaging through his belongings in the room.
The complainant’s scream startled the accused, who then fled with the complainant’s SUV and several valuable items.
Missing items included a set of car keys, a laptop, vehicle documents, personal documents, bank cards, a Rolex wristwatch, a gold bracelet, and RM900 in cash, resulting in an estimated loss of approximately RM85,000.
The complainant reported the incident to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused behind the Petanak Big Market around 10pm on Aug 30.
Investigation results revealed that the complainant recognised the car keys that were seized, and a positive identification from a line-up confirmed the accused as the perpetrator.
Additionally, the accused had a history of seven previous records related to theft cases, one record of fraud, and one record of drug abuse.
Deputy public prosecutor Inspector Nur Shafiqa Nyaie Ilin handled the prosecution, while the accused did not have legal representation.
