Schizophrenic jailed, fined for burning neighbour’s shoe rack

Laimus Yampat (second right) with his lawyers outside the courtroom.

KOTA KINABALU: A 36-year-old schizophrenic man, who pleaded guilty to burning his neighbour’s shoe rack, was jailed for a year and fined RM1,000 by the Sessions Court here on Wednesday (March 15).

Laimus Yampat, who was being treated for mental illness, committed the offence at a house in Kampung Terintidon in the Kota Belud district, about 80km from here, on June 24 last year.

He was charged before Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus for mischief by fire under Section 435 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum of 14 years or a fine or both.

In the facts tendered to the court, Laimus set fire to the shoe rack after he heard "voices" and his name being called from his neighbour's house.

He also threw stones at his neighbour's house.

The neighbour then lodged a police report before the authorities arrested the accused who was subsequently referred to the Kota Belud Hospital where he was observed for his mental health.

He was discharged after being given medication for mental illness.

Laimus was subsequently discharged from hospital and given medication for mental illness.

National Legal Aid Foundation counsel Kimberly Ye, who represented Laimus, urged the court for leniency as he was suffering from schizophrenia with his next review scheduled for this coming April 11 at the Hospital Mesra Bukit Padang here.

She urged the court to impose a one-year imprisonment from the date of his arrest (June 24 last year) as he had apologised to the neighbour for his act. His family and the neighbour also remained on good terms.

"We hope for a one-year imprisonment from his date of arrest as he is a first-time offender.

"The sentence should be restorative and rehabilitative in nature for the accused since he's been under remand for almost nine months," Ye told the court.

Deputy public prosecutor Mas Izzaty Lokman pushed for a deterrent sentence as Laimus’ actions caused his neighbours to fear him while he also caused damages worth RM750.

In sentencing to a year in jail, Primus ordered Laimus’ sentence to run from the date of his arrest.