Duo jailed 6 months each for retaining stolen motorcycle

KUCHING: Two men were each sentenced to six months in jail at the Magistrates’ Court here yesterday for dishonestly retaining a stolen motorcycle belonging to a 54-year-old woman.

Mohammad Zaini Meliki, 39, and Amirul Jainnudin, 29, both pleaded guilty before magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi, who ordered their jail sentences take effect from yesterday.

They were charged under

Section 411 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same Code, which provides for a jail term of up to five years, or a fine, or both.

They committed the offence at Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone here at 1.30am on March 14.

According to the facts of the case, a man lodged a police report that his mother’s motorcycle, which was parked behind a pharmacy in Batu Kawa, was missing and suspected to be stolen.

The estimated loss was RM1,500.

After further action and investigations by the police, Mohammad Zaini and Amirul were arrested on March 14 at Sama Jaya Free Industrial Zone.

They were riding the motorcycle in a suspicious manner and tried to speed off when police attempted to arrest them.

The police subsequently seized the motorcycle and checked its chassis and engine numbers, which matched those of the woman’s stolen motorcycle.

In the same courtroom, Muhammad Zaini was also fined RM3,000 in default three months’ jail after he pleaded guilty to abusing methamphetamine and amphetamine two years ago.

Zubaidah also ordered for him to undergo police supervision for two years.

For this offence, he was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 15(1) of the same Act, which carries a jail sentence of up to two years, or a fine not exceeding RM5,000, and immediate supervision for a period not exceeding three years.

Both cases were prosecuted by Insp Nur Shafiqa Nyaie Ilin, while Muhammad Zaini and Amirul were unrepresented by legal counsel.