KUCHING: Five teenagers pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court here today (Aug 5) to committing gang-robbery involving cash and cigarettes at a business premises in Jalan Tun Jugah in June.
The accused comprised two 18-year-olds, two 15-year-olds and a 14-year-old.
The accused pleaded guilty in front of Judge Noorhisham Mohd Jaafar to a charge under Section 395 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 397 of the same Code, which carries a maximum 20-year jail term and whipping upon conviction.
Following their guilty pleas, the court ordered social reports to be prepared for the two 18-year-old accused, while probation reports were ordered for the three juvenile accused, comprising the two 15-year-olds and the 14-year-old.
The court fixed Sept 7 for the hearing of both the social and probation reports.
All five were granted court bail of RM10,000 each, not deposited, with one local surety each pending the hearing.
It was understood that the five committed the offence with another suspect, who remains at large and is believed to be the group’s leader and mastermind.
The offence allegedly took place at about 4 am on June 1 at convenient store along Jalan Tun Jugah, where the group allegedly robbed shop employee of about RM1,000 in cash and various brands of cigarettes.
It was understood that closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showed the alleged leader entering the premises first, followed by the five accused.
One of the accused was seen taking cash from the cashier’s counter, while the first accused allegedly brandished a machete at a worker and took cash.
The second accused allegedly took various brands of cigarettes from a shelf behind the counter, while the third and fourth accused used wooden rods to damage a computer monitor, cash register and other items at the counter.
The fifth accused allegedly acted as the driver of a red Proton Saga, which was waiting outside the premises.
The CCTV footage also showed two workers at the counter who were allegedly left frightened after being threatened with weapons during the incident.
They were arrested in separate operations around Kuching and Serian between 12.15 am and 3 am on July 31 by a team from the district Criminal Investigation Department (CID) after the police report was lodged.
The prosecution was conducted by Adriana Maisarah, while all five accused were unrepresented.
The case was investigated by Inspektor Logeswara Tharumalay@Krishnan.
