Woman freed of dangerous driving charge

Kota Kinabalu: A 59-year-old woman, who was charged with dangerous driving which caused the death to a motorcyclist two years ago, was freed of the charge Thursday.

Magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie discharged and acquitted Tan Pau Pin @ Chin Pan Pin without calling for her defence.

In delivering her ruling, Stephanie held that the court found that the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie against Tan.

Tan was accused of driving a car in a dangerous manner and causing the death of one Hafizuddin Abdul Harun at 4.10am on April 11, 2019 at Jalan Penampang in front of 7-Eleven outlet in Lido.

She had on Nov 21, 2019 claimed trial to the charge under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act which carries a jail term of between two years and 10 years and a fine of between RM5,000 and RM20,000 if convicted.

The prosecution called nine witnesses in the trial.

Traffic prosecuting officer Inspector Mohammad Khairul Nizam Mokhtar prosecuted.

Tan was represented by counsel Ariel Dasan.

In another case, a 24-year-old man was sentenced to five months jail for trespassing into a mall here, last year.

Md Norasreh Norazam pleaded guilty before Magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun to committing the offence on the ground floor of block D, Warisan Square at 12.10am on Oct 19, 2020.

He changed his plea to guilty when his case came up for pre-trial case management.

Norasneh was charged under Section 448 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to three years or fine of up to RM5,000 or both on conviction.

The court ordered Norasneh, who had been under remand as he failed to furnish bail offered to him, to serve the sentence from the date of his arrest.