KUCHING: A 55-year-old man was fined RM2,700, in default three months’ imprisonment, by the Magistrates’ Court here today (Sept 7) for gambling online at a public place.
Grini Juie pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 7(2) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 before Magistrate Leona Dominic Mojiliu.
The section provides for a fine of up to RM5,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both upon conviction.
The court heard that Grini was found gambling at the five-foot way of a café near Star Point Angle Commercial Centre, Jalan Stutong, at about 10.45am on May 30.
According to the facts of the case, police conducting a raid at the premises noticed the accused behaving suspiciously while allegedly engaging in online gambling at the public place.
Police approached and identified themselves before carrying out a check on him.
During the inspection, police found a Huawei mobile phone displaying the online gambling game ‘Fairy Garden Plus’ on the 918Kiss website, along with a printed slip containing letters and numbers believed to be an online gambling identification and password.
Grini was subsequently arrested and the items seized.
The seized items were sent to a gambling expert for analysis, which confirmed the presence of computer-based gambling elements as defined under Section 2 of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953.
The prosecution said Grini had therefore committed an offence under Section 7(2) of the Act.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani appeared for the prosecution, while Grini was unrepresented.
