SIBU: A 48-year-old man was sentenced to one day’s jail and fined RM10,000, in default three months’ imprisonment, by the Sessions Court here today for driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor.
Judge Musyiri Peet meted out the sentence on Thomas Jabu after he confessed to the charge read and explained to him through an interpreter.
He was also ordered to be disqualified from holding a driving licence for a period of two years.
The charge preferred against Thomas stated that he was found driving a pick-up while having alcohol concentration of 204mg/100ml exceeding the prescribed limit of 50mg/100mg, at Tuanku Osman Road here on December 5 at 8:25 pm.
Thereby he had committed an offence punishable under Section 45A(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333/87) which upon conviction, provides for an imprisonment of up to two years and between RM10,000 and RM30,000 fine as well as disqualified from holding or obtaining a driving licence of not less than two years.
In outlining facts of the case, prosecuting officer, DPP Keshava Rao Tharma Raja, told the court that at the material time and place, the accused was stopped for checking by a team of traffic police led by Insp. Razie Tahir while driving.
Inspection on him found a pungent smell of alcohol, and subsequently he was tested positive for alcohol with a breathalyser device, at a reading of 334mg/100ml.
The accused was then brought to the Sibu Traffic Police Station for further test that the first reading decreased to 204mg/100ml in the blood which still exceeded the prescribed limit of 50mg of alcohol in 100ml in the blood, as enumerated under Section 45A(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 (Act 333/87).
Thomas, who was not represented during the proceedings, was unable to pay the fine and has to serve the default sentence.
