JOHOR BARU: Two men believed to be part of an unlicensed moneylending syndicate appeared in three separate Magistrates’ Courts here for multiple charges of vandalism and drug-related offences.
The accused, R. Sahswin, 25, and P. Yugendran, 31, pleaded guilty to all charges and were fined on Wednesday (May 28).
Before Magistrate A. Shaarmini, both men were fined RM4,500 each, or face 12 months' imprisonment if they fail to pay.
They were found guilty of splashing paint on the gate of a victim’s house on Jalan Jenawi 8, Taman Puteri Wangsa, at around 10.57pm on May 1, causing damages exceeding RM35.
Separately, before Magistrate Nabilah Nizam, Sahswin was fined RM1,000 for each of two charges: one for splashing paint on a house (causing RM35 in damages) and another for vandalising a Honda City car (causing RM350 in damages).
These incidents occurred on Jalan Lading 11, Taman Puteri Wangsa, around 10.40pm on May 1, and on Jalan Tun Abdul Razak at 12.20pm on April 27, respectively.
Yugendran was also fined RM2,200 or 12 months' jail by Magistrate Atifah Hazimah Wahab for splashing red paint on a house gate on Jalan Hang Jebat 4, Taman Skudai Baru, around 3.12pm on April 28, causing more than RM249 in damages.
All these acts fall under Section 427 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum of five years' imprisonment, a fine, or both if convicted.
Sahswin was also charged with criminal intimidation after allegedly issuing a written threat to burn a house at the same location in Taman Puteri Wangsa on May 9, at about 3.20pm.
The threat was made anonymously via a notice, and the charge falls under Section 507 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to two years in jail, a fine, or both upon conviction.
He pleaded not guilty before Magistrate Shaarmini, who set bail at RM4,000 and scheduled June 11 for the next mention for document submission.
Sahswin then pleaded guilty before Magistrate Shaarmini, where he was fined RM2,500 or six months’ jail for consuming dangerous drugs after testing positive at the Johor Baru North police district narcotics unit at 3.55pm on May 15.
Yugendran faced a similar charge before Magistrate Nabilah and was fined RM1,800 or six months’ jail after pleading guilty for testing positive for drugs at 4am on the same day.
Both were charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and ordered to undergo two years of supervision by the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK).
In another case before Magistrate Atifah Hazimah, Sahswin, Yugendran, and a third accused, S.K. Kiren, 24, pleaded not guilty to possessing 20.04g of cannabis on Jalan Inang 7, Taman Skudai Baru, at around 11.40pm on May 14.
They were charged under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum of five years' imprisonment and up to nine strokes of the cane if found guilty.
Bail was set at RM5,000 each, with one surety.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Nor Afiqah Musa and Nik Noratini Nik Azman prosecuted the cases, while lawyer V. Pushparajan represented all the accused.
