SIBU: A youth was fined a total of RM8,000 by the Magistrates’ Court here today after police found child sexual abuse material stored on both his mobile phone and laptop during an inspection at a residence.
Lawrence Foong Kah Sing of Jalan Lada pleaded guilty to three charges before Magistrate Oon Kork Chern.
For the first and second charges, Foong was fined RM3,000 each and ordered to serve six months’ imprisonment in default for each charge, while the third charge carried a RM2,000 fine and three months’ imprisonment in default.
Foong paid all the fines.
The court heard that police conducted an inspection at about 11:40 am on September 2 at a house at Jalan Lada, after receiving information concerning suspected child pornography activities.
During the inspection, Foong handed over a Poco X8 Pro Max mobile phone and a Victus laptop to the police.
An initial examination of the mobile phone allegedly uncovered about 545 adult pornographic videos and pictures, as well as child sexual abuse material found in the phone’s gallery.
Police also found approximately 38 videos containing child sexual abuse material on the laptop.
The seized devices and other exhibits were recovered from Foong’s possession and control.
Foong was charged under Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 for possessing child sexual abuse material in his Poco X8 Pro Max mobile phone.
He faced a second charge under the same section for possessing child sexual abuse material in his Victus laptop.
The third charge was brought under Section 292 of the Penal Code for possessing obscene material in his Poco X8 Pro Max mobile phone.
According to the charge sheet, all three offences were committed at about 11:40 am on September 2 at a residence.
Investigation had established that the material was stored in devices that were in Foong’s possession at the time of the police inspection.
Under Section 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, a person convicted of possessing or accessing child sexual abuse material may be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or a fine not exceeding RM10,000, or both.
Section 292 of the Penal Code provides for imprisonment of up to three years, or a fine, or both, for possession of obscene material.
The prosecution was conducted by the Deputy Public Prosecutor Keshava Rao Tharma Raja while Foong was unrepresented by legal counsel.
