SIBU: A 47-year-old employer was today sentenced to a fine of RM2,000, in default, one month’s imprisonment, by the Magistrates’ Court here for assaulting his employee.
Magistrate Oon Kork Chern passed down the sentence on Lau Hui Kwong of Kampung Nangka after he pleaded guilty to the charge read and explained through an interpreter.
He understood and the consequences of maintaining his plea of guilt.
The charge referred to him stated that he had voluntarily caused hurt to Lazarus Boon Kumbong, 23, at the roadside of Jalan Rantau Panjang on October 14 at about 7:00 pm.
As such, he had committed an offence punishable under Section 323 of the Penal Code which provides for up to one year’s imprisonment or RM2,000 fine or both, upon conviction.
According to facts of the case, the complainant reported that on October 14 at about 6:54 pm, he was contacted by his younger brother, Lazarus, who was having an argument with his employer.
The argument was believed to have risen from an incident involving the accused’s company-owned crane driven by Lazarus, which had collided with a house close to the worksite.
The complainant immediately went to the location, where a verbal dispute escalated, leading the accused to punch Lazarus.
The complainant retaliated by punching the accused, resulting in a physical fight between them.
It was further stated by the complainant that the accused then retrieved an object from the vehicle, believed to be a firearm, and pointed it towards them, causing him to flee the scene to seek help while leaving his younger brother behind.
The accused then allegedly assaulted Lazarus by stomping on him, rendering him unconscious.
The complainant later returned to the scene and Lazarus was rushed to Sibu Hospital by an ambulance.
There, he received treatment in the Red Zone of the Emergency Department before been transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
On October 16 at about 3:00 am, at the roadside of Jalan Kampung Nyabor, a team of police led by Inspector Sudiman Sakuot, arrested the accused for his involvement in the case.
Police investigation revealed that the accused was found to have intentionally caused injury to Lazarus by slapping his face and stomping on his head and body.
As a result of the incident, Lazarus was reported to have suffered “cerebral concussion, left parietal scalp hematoma, left per orbital hematoma and left maxilla hematoma” based on medical report.
Based on the evidence and the police investigation, the accused has committed an offence punishable under Section 323 of the Penal Code.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Keshava Rao Tharma Raja while the accused who has no legal representation, opted to pay the fine.
