Single father jailed for breaking into sundry shop

KOTA KINABALU: A 22-year-old single father was jailed for 20 months for breaking into a sundry shop.

Sezine Frances pleaded guilty to committing the offence on August 13, 2016, around 3am.

Together with an accomplice, who is still at large, Sezine admitted to breaking into the shop along Jalan Inanam Point, where the owner had kept two mobile phones, various mobile prepaid cards, four camera lenses, assorted cigarettes, a CCTV decoder, three gas tanks and coins worth about RM350.

The offence was framed under Section 457 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to five years and a fine, on conviction.

Magistrate Cindy Mc Juce Balitus imposed the sentence after considering defence counsel Henry Gudid’s mitigation that his client is a single father to a three-year-old, earning minimal income. Meanwhile, prosecuting officer Inspector Albert Basiri pressed for an adequate sentence.

In a separate case, a man faces up to three years in jail if he is found guilty of trespassing on a woman’s house in Penampang.

Mohd Shawal Justin Abdullah denied committing the crime on May 11 this year around 10am.

Under Section 448 of the Penal Code, Shawal could also be liable to a fine of not more than RM5,000 in addition to the jail term, on conviction.

Lawyer Farazwin Hexdy applied for a low bail sum as the accused is unemployed with a wife and two young children, aged 10 and four.

The court set July 12 for case management and released Shawal on RM4,000 bail with two local sureties.