JOHOR BARU: An unemployed man pleaded guilty at the Johor Baru Sessions Court to setting fire to a tow truck belonging to Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) last Friday.
The accused, Wan Muhammad Nasrul W Ahmad, 31, entered the plea after the charge was read before Judge Thalha Bachok @ Embok Mok.
According to the charge sheet, he committed mischief by using petrol to set fire to an MBJB tow truck at the vehicle storage depot at Lot 1, Johor Baru Waterfront, on August 15 at about 11.07 am, causing losses of RM24,000.
He was charged under Section 435 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years and a fine.
When asked to play the CCTV footage of the incident, Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Fatimah Mamu informed the court that it could not be played at that time.
The court postponed sentencing to Wednesday (Aug 20) to allow the footage to be submitted and played.
Although Siti Fatimah did not offer bail, the court granted bail of RM7,000 with conditions, including monthly police reporting, surrendering his passport, and refraining from disturbing prosecution witnesses.
The accused told the court that, if given the chance, he wanted to apologise to MBJB and claimed he had his reasons for the act.
The court reminded him he could only appeal against bail, not sentencing.
Deputy Public Prosecutor R. Navina also led the prosecution, while the accused was unrepresented.
According to case facts, an MBJB enforcement officer at the depot counter heard an explosion, ran outside, and saw the tow truck on fire.
CCTV footage allegedly showed the accused pouring petrol and igniting the rear of the truck before a police report was lodged.
Police later seized a grey aluminium container and a lighter at the scene.
Johor Baru Selatan OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat said the incident was believed to have been triggered by the suspect’s dissatisfaction after his Perodua Axia was towed a day earlier.
The suspect, who had no money to pay the compound, allegedly set the truck on fire, causing an estimated RM10,000 in losses.
"Police apprehended the suspect on the same day at 1.06 pm and seized several items, including an aluminium container and a lighter,” he said in a statement on Sunday (Aug 17).
