KOTA KINABALU: The Sessions Court here has sentenced a jobless man to three years' jail and fined him RM5,000, in default six-months' jail, for setting fire to his house about two years ago with his wife and children still inside.
Sessions Court Judge Elsie Primus made the ruling after Sedin Martin was found guilty of the charge under Section 436 of the Penal Code for mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy property after a full trial here on Tuesday (June 13).
The charge provides a jail term of up to 20 years and a fine on conviction.
Primus delivered the sentence after establishing the prosecution had proven their case beyond reasonable doubt.
During the sentencing, Primus held that Sedin had committed a serious offence as he had started the fire despite his wife and children being in the house.
He was ordered by the court to serve his jail sentence starting Tuesday (June 13).
Khairudin Noordin, the counsel for the accused, had during mitigation requested the court to grant leniency to Sedin as the latter was a first-time offender, besides undergoing treatment for a head injury at a hospital.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Tham Pou Jin urged the court to pass a heavy sentence to serve as a lesson to the accused and a deterrent to potential offenders.
