SIBU: A 19-year-old youth was yesterday (June 15) fined RM3,000, or two months’ imprisonment in default, by the Magistrates’ Court here for peeping at and recording a video of a woman while she was bathing.
Leanard Lenggie, 19, of Sungai Paku Mujong, Kapit, pleaded guilty to the charge after it was read and explained to him by an interpreter. He acknowledged the charge and understood the consequences of his plea.
According to the charge, he had intended to insult the modesty of a 20-year-old woman by peeping at and recording her while she was bathing naked, thereby intruding on her privacy at a premises along Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman at about 7.30 pm on June 9.
The offence is punishable under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.
Based on the facts of the case, the complainant was bathing in a bathroom at her rented accommodation when she noticed a male tenant peeping at her from an adjacent bathroom.
She also observed a mobile phone positioned towards her while she was in a state of undress. Shocked by the discovery, she screamed, causing the suspect to flee the bathroom area.
A witness later confirmed hearing the complainant’s screams and seeing a man run from the bathroom towards a nearby room.
The complainant reported the incident to the police, stating that she felt frightened, distressed and that her privacy had been violated.
On June 11 at about 12.55 am, a police team led by ASP Mohd Adzmei Ahmad raided the premises and arrested the accused. Two mobile phones were also seized during the operation.
Investigations subsequently identified the accused as the complainant’s neighbour, who occupied a room adjacent to hers.
The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Keshava Rao Tharma Raja. As the accused failed to pay the fine, he was ordered to serve the default sentence of two months’ imprisonment.
