Ex-driver now pleads guilty to threatening judge, jailed 3 months

 Fareez Zin made threatening and slanderous remarks against Justice Gan Techiong in two voice notes and a phone call with the judge's secretary.

The accused initially claimed trial after being charged with threatening Justice Gan Techiong at the Kuala Lumpur High Court in May.

PETALING JAYA:

A judge’s former driver has been sentenced to three months in prison for criminally intimidating the judge in May, after changing his plea to guilty.

Magistrate Heng Yi Min meted out the sentence on 39-year-old Fareez Zin after he pleaded guilty in the Kuala Lumpur magistrates’ court, Harian Metro reported.

Fareez initially claimed trial after being charged with threatening Justice Gan Techiong, 61, with the intention of causing him fear and alarm at the Kuala Lumpur High Court (civil) at 1.30pm on May 8.

The charge was framed under Section 506 of the Penal Code, which provides for up to two years in prison, a fine or both for criminal intimidation, if convicted.

The section also punishes threats to cause death, grievous hurt or destruction of property by fire with a maximum of seven years in prison, a fine, or both upon conviction.

According to the case facts, Fareez made threatening and slanderous remarks against Gan in two voice notes and during a phone call with the judge’s secretary.

Deputy public prosecutor Iman Nurhidayah Ezani asked the court to impose a commensurate sentence given the seriousness of the offence.

Lawyer Shah Rizal Abdul Manan appealed for a lighter sentence, saying his client has three children and an unemployed wife to support. - FMT