5 jailed 3 months each after cops have liquor cans thrown at them

Courts have been imposing deterrent sentences in view of people still defying the movement control order meant to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

KUALA LUMPUR: Five men were sentenced to three months’ jail each by the Magistrate’s Court here today for criminal violence against a policeman conducting his duty to prevent the spread of Covid-19, following the movement control order (MCO), effective March 18.

Magistrate M Saravanan sentenced D Candran, 38, K Kandasamy, 50, D Thavachilan, 34, D Gunalan, 39, and D Ravintran, 36, after they pleaded guilty to the charges read to them.

The court ordered all the accused to serve their jail terms from today.

They had used criminal violence by throwing cans of liquor and arguing with Lance Corporal Mohd Adnin Che Ani, a policeman performing his duties as a civil servant.

They were all charged with the offence at the Food Truck Site, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad 2, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, here, at 5pm, on March 25, under Section 353 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum jail term of two years or with fines or both, if found guilty.

According to the facts of the case, on the day of the incident the victim and his partner were patrolling the area and advised a group of men, who were drinking alcohol, to avoid gathering in the open.

The victim ordered all of the accused to present their identity cards. However, two of the accused threw cans of liquor at him while another recorded the situation with his cellphone.

Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Khaliq Nazeri called for an appropriate punishment in the form of a deterrent sentence for their offences during the MCO and to show the public that the court would not compromise, especially during the current state of affairs in the country.

The five accused, represented by a lawyer from the National Legal Aid Foundation, Erni Ahmad, appealed for light sentences as they were each supporting a wife and family.

Another man, B Pavitrn, 23, was fined RM1,000 or two months in jail after pleading guilty to moving from a residential area in Danau Murni to a supermarket, a place in the area of infection without the intention of doing anything, as provided for under Section 7(1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, at 3.20am today.

The accused was charged under Section 7 (1) of the same regulation, which provides for a maximum fine of RM1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both, upon conviction. - FMT