KUCHING: The Sessions Court here today sentenced an unemployed man to six years in prison and fined him RM5,000 for setting fire to his own motorcycle due to financial stress.
Wan Mohammad Adenan Wan Umar, 44, from Miri, pleaded guilty before Judge Iris Awen Jon to the charge framed under Section 435 of the Penal Code for committing mischief by fire, which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years and a possible fine, upon conviction.
According to the charge, he intentionally set fire to his motorcycle, causing damage worth RM1,000 to the wall and floor of an apartment block in Matang at around 3:30 pm on August 27.
The court ordered the custodial sentence to take effect immediately.
He will also serve an additional two months in prison if he fails to settle the fine.
Based on the facts of the case, a security guard was alerted by residents that a man was burning his motorcycle.
On arrival, the guard found the motorcycle already extinguished by residents.
Wan Mohammad attempted to flee but was caught by the guard’s colleague.
During the struggle, he turned aggressive and even brandished a meat cleaver at the guard and his colleague before he was subdued and handed over to the police.
Investigations later confirmed that the fire damaged the building structure and that Wan Mohammad had deliberately set his Modenas motorcycle ablaze due to financial pressures.
Deputy Public Prosecutor, Mohamad Aiman Mutallib Mohamad Shariff, prosecuted the case, while Wan Mohammad was unrepresented by counsel.
