Youth pleads guilty to theft, awaits sentencing

SIBU: A youth, 17, who was charged with theft pleaded guilty at a magistrate’s court here yesterday.

The court, however, deferred sentencing while waiting for a probation report from the Welfare Department.

In the meantime, he was released on RM500-bail with his parents as sureties, but since they ( parents) could not be contacted the youth has to remain in prison.

The youth was charged under Section 379 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 511 of the same Code, and may be jailed for seven years or a fine or both on conviction under Section 379.

For an offence listed under Section 511, he could be jailed for a term that may extend to half of the longest jail term provided.

According to the facts of the case, the youth committed the offence about 7.10pm on Dec 18 at a factory in Teku Barat Road.

The complainant was said to be doing an inspection at the factory when he saw the accused opening the generator cable.

The complainant then informed the incident to two of his colleagues before he contacted the police while restraining the accused.

A police squad led by Inspector Baharuddin came at 7.30pm to arrest the accused and seized one unit of transformer.

He (accused) was ordered to appear in court again on Jan 16.