Two cable thieves jailed, fined RM4,000 each

KUCHING: Two men who stole telecommunications cables worth about RM1,000 were each sentenced to three months in jail and fined RM4,000 by the Magistrates’ Court here today (Nov 4).

Mohamad Naidzrul Ali, 48, and Denny Ganil, 37, pleaded guilty to the offence before Magistrate Leona Dominic Mojiliu.

Both were charged under Section 379 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, for committing the theft with common intention.

The court also ordered them to serve an additional three months’ imprisonment each if they failed to pay the fines.

According to the case facts, the theft took place at Federal Park, Matang, at around 6.30pm on Oct 20.

The complainant, an employee of the telecommunications and IT systems company, discovered that cables placed outside a house compound had gone missing.

A police report was lodged, triggering investigations that led to the arrest of three men on Oct 31.

Police investigations later established the involvement of the two accused and another accomplice, with their theft caught on closed-circuit television (CCTV).

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Fauzulutfi Suriani prosecuted, while both men were unrepresented.

Meanwhile, their alleged accomplice, Mohamad Musa Sapali, 52, claimed trial to the same charge before the same magistrate.

He was granted RM2,500 cash bail with one surety, with the court fixing Dec 3 for further mention.