Man jailed, fined for going to infected area to buy alcoholic drinks

KOTA KINABALU: A 22-yearold man was sentenced to four months’ jail plus RM500 fine, in default, two weeks jail for defying the Movement Control Order (MCO) by going to an infected area in Tuaran to buy alcoholic drinks.

Sessions Court judge Ummu Khalthom Abd Samad imposed the sentence on Rapheil Jamrin after he pleaded guilty to the offence yesterday.

He travelled from Kota Kinabalu to Tuaran to buy alcoholic drinks, which is not a purpose listed under Regulation 3 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within The Infected Local Area) Regulations 2020.

Rapheil was detained at a roadblock in Jalan Gayang, Tuaran at 11.28pm on March 27.

The offence was punishable under Regulation 7(1) of the Prevention And Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within The Infected Local Area) Regulations 2020, which provides for a jail term up to six months or fine up to RM1,000 or both, upon conviction.

Based on the facts, the accused and his brother went to buy the alcoholic drinks using a green Perodua Axis motorcar.

At a roadblock in Jalan Gayang, Tuaran, the accused’s brother, who was the driver, did not stop, but he turned off the car’s front lamp and accelerated through it.

The police on duty had to jump to the road side to avoid being hit by the car.

Then, not long after, the car had lost control and skidded to the side of the road and crashed into a tree.

The driver was pronounced dead at the scene while the accused suffered injuries on his ear and neck.

In mitigation, the accused, who was not represented prayed for leniency in the form of fine on the grounds that his parents are not employed while some of his siblings are still schooling.

Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Rozzana Abdul Hadi urged for a deterrent sentence to be imposed on the accused.

She emphasized that the MCO had been already imposed for 10 days but the accused still went out.

The court also ordered for Rapheil’s jail sentence to take effect from his date of arrest on March 28.