KOTA KINABALU: A permanent resident cardholder and a local man became the first two people to be charged with defying the movement control order (MCO) in Sabah today.
MyPR holder Injimar Abu Gafar and Yong Tze How pleaded guilty before magistrate Stephanie Sheron Abbie after the charges were read to them at the court complex here.
They were charged with obstructing the authorities from executing the MCO under Section 186 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to two years or a fine, or both on conviction.
Injimar, 33, was fined RM6,000 or 10 months’ jail for committing the offence at 6pm on March 23 while Yong, 26, was sentenced to 10 months’ jail after pleading guilty to committing the offence at 1.30am yesterday.
The court also ordered Injimar, who was unrepresented, to be referred to the Immigration Department.
According to the facts of the case, Injimar had verbally abused the policemen who had issued him a summons after being found without a driving licence at a roadblock at Jalan Tuaran.
The accused was incensed after his companion, travelling with him at the time, was instructed to step out of the vehicle after failing to produce any identification papers.
The accused allegedly hurled abusive words at the police and subsequently hit the bonnet of his car to show his unhappiness.
Meanwhile, Yong had defied orders from policemen to stop for an inspection and instead sped off at another roadblock along Jalan Kampung Cenderakasih in Kolombong near here yesterday.
He was travelling with a woman and her baby girl during the car chase.
Police had chased Yong for more than an hour until his car came to a halt after it ran out of petrol along Jalan Bukit Bendera here.
Deputy public prosecutor Khairul Anuar urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence on both accused as a stern reminder and also for exposing police to risk during the MCO operation.
