Cellphones thief lands in jail

KOTA KINABALU: A man was sentenced to 40 months behind bars by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday on two charges of stealing cellphones.

On the first count, magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun jailed Muhamad Fadly Shah Jamrin for 20 months for stealing a smartphone belonging to a 37-year-old man at the roadside near a restaurant at Jalan Segama here on July 26.

The 35-year-old accused pleaded guilty to the charge under Section 379 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of seven years or with a fine, or both, upon conviction.

On the second charge, the accused received another 20 months’ jail after he admitted to stealing another cellphone at a reflexology premises here on July 24.

He was convicted under Section 380 of the Penal Code for his second charge as he committed theft in a dwelling building, which is an offence that provides for a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine, upon conviction.

The magistrate ordered the accused to serve his jail sentences concurrently.

In a separate case, Mohammad Potong claimed trial in the same court to keeping a stolen cellphone.

Mohammad, 31, was accused of receiving the stolen gadget in front of a 24-hour convenience outlet here at 6.30pm on July 28.

He was charged under Section 411 of the Penal Code which is punishable by a maximum jail term of five years and a fine, upon conviction.

The court fixed September 7 for pre-trial case management and the accused was ordered to be detained in custody pending disposal of his case as he had no valid travel documents.