Kota Kinabalu: A 28-year-old man was jailed 10 months by the Magistrate’s Court, here, Tuesday for criminal intimidation against a businessman through threatening messages sent via WhatsApp.
Muhammad Fizwan Parman pleaded quilty before Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin to committing the offence against Helmi Stenyfarukzula Dee at a house in Taman Indah Permai, here, at about 10.30pm on June 29.
The charge is under Section 506 of the Penal Code, which provides for a sentence of up to seven years in jail, a fine, or both, on conviction.
The court was told that the incident occurred when Helmi saw an obscene video involving his younger sister, believed to have been posted by Fizwan, who was her boyfriend.
Helmi contacted Fizwan about the video, which led to an argument. Fizwan then sent Helmi threatening messages via WhatsApp, including a picture of a knife and a voice note warning him not to “end up with a stabbed stomach.”He also sent a picture of Helmi’s young daughter with the message “Apa-apa pun, kirim salam dia ya” (“Whatever happens, send my regards to her”), which frightened the victim.
Unrepresented, Fizwan requested a lenient sentence while the prosecution urged for a deterrent sentence.
Marilyn ordered Fizwan to serve the jail sentence from the date of his arrest.
In another case, two unemployed men were jailed eight months each for trespassing into a Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) substation at an industrial area in Kolombong.
Mohd Shaamir Mohd Ibrahim, 37, and Hazwan Hussin, 33, pleaded guilty separately to committing the offence at the 11/0.433KV electrical substation located at Golden Large Bakery, in Kolombong, at 5.45am on Aug 22, 2024.
The charge is under Section 448 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code, which provides for a sentence of up to three years in jail, a fine of up to RM5,000, or both, if convicted.
The court heard from the prosecution that SESB received a report around 6.15am that the substation had been entered by intruders, resulting in missing and damaged electrical fittings.
Following investigation, Shaamir and Hazwan were arrested and later confessed to the offence.
A cable-cutting tool was found in the boot of Shaamir’s car, and both men tested positive for drugs during a urine test.
The court was told that the duo had entered the restricted substation area and were caught red-handed rummaging through equipment by enforcement officers.
Counsel Lim Ming Zoong @ Lawrence, representing them, requested a minimum fine and lenient jail sentence, considering that Shahmir, who is divorced with five children and Hazwan had married with one child.
The prosecution applied for an appropriate sentence as a deterrent to prevent both of them from committing a similar offence.
