DUO FINED RM50,000 EACH FOR ELECTRICITY THEFT

KUCHING, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- Two men were each fined RM50,000 in default 15 months’ jail by the Sessions Court here today after pleading guilty to several charges under the Electricity Ordinance for stealing electricity at a commercial premises in Jalan Tondong last August.

The accused, Mazuan Muhamad Muslim Marius, 25, and Vinchy Yap, 19, admitted to four joint charges read before Judge Saiful Bahari Adzmi at the start of the hearing.

For the first charge, both were convicted under Section 33(3) of the Electricity Ordinance (Chapter 50) read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, for jointly interfering with electrical installations connected to another meter and the main switch, posing danger to licensed equipment.

The court found both accused guilty and ordered each to be placed on a two-year good behaviour bond of RM5,000 for the offence.

For the second charge, framed under Section 33(7)(a) and punishable under Section 33(7)(b) of the same ordinance, read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, the duo were accused of installing direct tapping cables that disrupted meter connections. Judge Saiful sentenced them to a fine of RM5,000 each, in default three months’ imprisonment.

On the third charge, they were convicted under Section 33(9)(b) and punishable under Section 21(2) of the Electricity Ordinance, read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, for wilfully disconnecting electricity supply to illegally channel power to another meter. Each was fined RM25,000, in default six months’ imprisonment.

For the fourth charge, under Section 33(5) of the ordinance, both were fined RM20,000 each, in default six months’ jail, for tampering with electrical instruments connected to the meter and main switch, preventing accurate recording of energy consumption.

All offences were committed between 10.30am and 2.04pm on Aug 20 at a commercial premises in Jalan Tondong–Batu Kawa.

During mitigation, defence counsels Clement Wong and Christopher Chin appealed for leniency, pleading that both were first-time offenders who acted under instructions from their employer, who remain at large.

However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ronald Felix Hardin urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, citing the seriousness of electricity theft in commercial premises.

-- BERNAMA