Three siblings fined for ‘snatching’ father’s body

LAHAD DATU: Three siblings, who ‘snatched’ their father’s remains from the Lahad Datu Hospital last Wednesday, were fined RM1,000 each by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday for obstructing health officers from discharging their duties to screen the body for Covid-19.

Magistrate Ryan Sagirann Rayner Jr. meted out the sentence on twin brothers Said Jipri and Sabri, 27, and their sister Jenrey, 26, after they pleaded guilty to the charge.

They were charged with obstructing Mohamad Izwan Ahmad Saibi, an officer authorised by the Ministry of Health to perform his duties at the Patient Under Investigation (PUI) Zone, Emergency Department of the Lahad Datu Hospital at 8.30 pm last Jan 20.

They were charged under Section 22(a) of the Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code. All of them paid the fine. The accused, who were represented by lawyer Hafizah Mohd Akram Khan from the National Legal Aid Foundation, had apologized to all, especially the hospital for their action.

The defence also appealed to the court for leniency as Sabri is only a factory worker and most of his income was contributed to the family expenses while Said is working as a sound technician but had stopped working following the implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO) and Jenrey is unemployed.

However, deputy public prosecutor Risal Abdul Fikkah asked for fair and just sentence to serve as a lesson as their action is able to pose a health risk to themselves and others.