KUCHING: A man was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment by the Magistrates’ Court here on Tuesday (June 9) after pleading guilty to assisting in the disposal of a stolen iPhone.
Magistrate Leona Dominic Mojiliu handed down the sentence against Syafiq Hafiz Rosli, 39, after he admitted to a charge under Section 414 of the Penal Code.
The offence carries a jail term of between six months and seven years, and a fine upon conviction.
According to the charge, Syafiq voluntarily assisted in disposing of a stolen iPhone 12 Pro Max belonging to his sister at a house in Kampung Pulo Ulu, Petra Jaya, at about 9pm on May 19.
Based on the facts of the case, his sister discovered that her black iPhone 12 Pro Max, which had been kept inside a cupboard at her home, was missing on the night of May 19 before lodging a police report.
Following investigations, a team from the Kuching District Police Headquarters (IPD) Criminal Investigation Department arrested Syafiq outside a house at Kampung Pulo Ulu on June 5.
During questioning, Syafiq informed police that he could show them where the stolen phone had been sold.
Acting on the information, police proceeded to a telecommunications shop in Tabuan Jaya, where records and receipts relating to the sale of the phone were obtained.
Investigations revealed that Syafiq had stolen the phone with the intention of obtaining money to purchase drugs.
He subsequently instructed an acquaintance to sell the device after falsely claiming that it belonged to him.
The phone was sold at a telecommunications shop in Tabuan Jaya for RM450, of which Syafiq gave RM50 to the acquaintance as payment for helping him dispose of the stolen property.
In a separate case heard before the same court, Syafiq was also sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and ordered to undergo police supervision for three years after pleading guilty to self-administering dangerous drugs.
He was charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for consuming methamphetamine and amphetamine at the Narcotics Crime Investigation Department office in Kuching at about 2.30pm on Oct 18, 2021.
The offence is punishable under Section 15(1) of the same Act, which provides for a fine of up to RM5,000 or imprisonment of up to two years.
Offenders are also required to undergo supervision for a period of between two and three years under Section 38B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 upon completion of their sentence.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani prosecuted both of the cases while Syafiq was unrepresented.
