Ex-soldier gets six years in jail for injuring boy

KUCHING: A former army man was sentenced to six years in jail and a fine of RM8,000, in default four months’ imprisonment, at the Sessions Court here yesterday over a charge of causing injury to a 12-year-old boy with a machete.

Madeng Sibon, 53, pleaded guilty before Judge Iris Awen Jon after he was charged under Section 326 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine, or whipping.

The ex-soldier committed the offence at a roadside near the football field of Kampung Stenggang in Bau, at 4.20pm on Feb 7 this year.

Based on facts of the case, the boy’s father was informed by his son’s friend about the incident, where Madeng slashed the boy’s nose with a machete.

The victim was rushed to Bau Hospital for medical treatment, and a police report was lodged later. It was stated that the boy sustained severe wounds on his face, and the right part of his head.

Police arrested Madeng on the same day, at 10.20pm, at an unnumbered house in Kampung Stenggang, and seized the machete said to have been used by him to hurt the boy.

Upon investigation, it was found that Madeng had hurt the victim twice before fleeing.

An identification parade was carried out on Madeng, where the boy and other witnesses had identified him as the attacker.

It is said that the incident was triggered by Madeng’s anger over the boy continuing to play with fireworks, despite being repeatedly told to stop.

In the same court, Madeng was also sentenced to three years in jail after he pleaded guilty to hitting his sisters, aged 36 and 42, with a piece of wood.

He committed the offence at a house in Kampung Stenggang, at around 2.30pm on Feb 14 this year.

For this offence, he was charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code read together with Section 326A of the same Code, which provides for a jail term for up to 10 years or a fine or whipping, or any two of the punishments, upon conviction.

Madeng, using the piece of wood, hit his sisters on the head, where the medical reports showed that both women had sustained injuries to the head following the attack.

The case was prosecuted by DPP Ruvinasini Pandian, while Madeng was unrepresented by legal counsel.