Guilty plea rejected after man claims unaware car stolen property

KOTA KINABALU: A man, who was charged with possessing a stolen vehicle, said that he had no knowledge that it was stolen property, prompting the Magistrate’s Court here to reject his guilty plea recorded yesterday.

Magistrate Cindy Mc Juce Balitus declined to accept the guilty plea of Jutel Bandarang, 23, after he said that he did not know the Perodua Kancil car was a stolen item and some of the facts mentioned in court were not true.

The unrepresented accused said during mitigation that he was not aware that the car was stolen and claimed that when the police arrived there, his friend known as Rizwan had fled the scene.

Jutel also denied the facts of the case that stated the car was given to him to be dismantled and sold separately.

The magistrate then rejected his guilty plea and set October 17 for case management.

Jutel was accused of possessing the car belonging to a man from Penampang at a compound at the roadside near a school here at 1.15pm on August 30.

The charge was under Section 411 of the Penal Code which is punishable by a maximum jail term of five years or a fine, upon conviction.

Prosecuting officer Inspector Albert Basiri told the court that a police report was lodged by the son of the car owner stating that he noticed his father’s car was missing at 5am and the accused was arrested on the same day.

During investigation, it was revealed that the car was stolen by the accused’s friend Rizwan and allegedly given to the accused for him to take out all the parts of car for the purpose of selling them separately.

The accused, who was represented by counsel Shareen Tang from the National Legal Aid Foundation, was released on RM3,500 bail deposited with RM3,000 and two local sureties, pending disposal of the case.