Security guard fined, jailed for violating MCO

KUCHING: A security guard was fined RM650 in default two weeks in jail in a magistrates’ court here yesterday for leaving the house and violating the Movement Control Order (MCO) in April 2020.

The accused, Sidup Mohammad, 43, pleaded guilty when the charge was read to him in front of Magistrate Syarifah Fatimah Azura Wan Ali.

Earlier, it is understood that the accused failed to appear in court during the mention of the case and an arrest warrant was subsequently issued against the accused.

According to the charge, Sidup allegedly moved from his house in Kampung Tabuan Tengah to Jalan Setia Raja here, which was within the infected area, on April 22, 2020, at 9.25pm, without a valid purpose.

The charge was made under Regulation 3(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Area) (No.3) Regulations 2020 and punishable under Regulation 11(1) of the same Regulation which carries a fine not exceeding RM1,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both, upon conviction.

According to the case statement, a police team was patrolling and monitoring the Covid-19 MCO operation before arresting the accused who was loitering around the Jalan Setia Raja area here.

During the examination, Sidup could not give a reasonable answer and failed to submit any permission document that allowed the accused to move and be at the place. The prosecution was handled by Inspector Mohd Adzmei Ahmad, while the accused was not represented by a lawyer.