KUCHING: A lorry driver was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment by the Magistrates’ Court here today (Aug 3) for abetting the theft of cooking oil worth RM32,453 from a factory.
Senior Assistant Registrar Jessica Lee Suk Kun handed down the sentence to the accused, Kam Lai Min Kong, 59, after he pleaded guilty to the charge under Section 109 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 381 of the same Code.
The accused was charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 381, which carries imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine upon conviction.
According to the charge, the items, worth RM32,453 in total, were stolen from a palm oil product factory near the Assar Senari Industrial Complex, Jalan Bako, Sungai Jenang, at about 6.35am on July 29.
The court heard that the accused had abetted a worker of the said factory in stealing 100 cartons of Reiser 5kg cooking oil, 150 cartons of Twin Leaves 5kg cooking oil and 107 cartons of Twin Leaves 1kg cooking oil.
Based on information received, police arrested the accused at about 11am the following day in front of a transportation service company along Jalan Datuk Abang Abdul Rahim here.
Police investigations subsequently found that the accused had abetted the factory worker in committing the theft.
Meanwhile, his alleged accomplice, a 27-year-old general worker at the same factory, pleaded not guilty in a separate Magistrates’ Court to all 14 charges, all under Section 381 of the Penal Code.
He allegedly stole the cooking oil, sugar and margarine in various quantities, amounting to a total value of about RM463,964, in 14 separate incidents.
The offences were allegedly committed between March 14 and July 29 this year, between 6.28am and 7am, at the same factory.
The court granted bail of RM3,000 without deposit with two local sureties, each earning a minimum monthly income of RM2,000.
The court also ordered the accused to surrender his passport and report to the nearest police station once a month until the disposal of the cases.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani and Nurul Aqila Morsalin appeared for the prosecution.
Meanwhile, Lai was unrepresented while the general worker was represented by counsel Ralph Lee.
