Caught in the act: CCTV footage showed the suspect pouring petrol over an MBJB tow truck before setting it on fire.
JOHOR BARU: An unemployed man has pleaded guilty at the Sessions Court here to a charge of setting fire to a tow truck belonging to the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) last Friday.
The accused, Wan Muhammad Nasrul W. Ahmad (pic), 31, made the plea after the charge was read before judge Thalha Bachok @ Embok Mok yesterday.
The accused, who was unrepresented, was charged under Section 435 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years and a fine.
According to the charge sheet, he was accused of committing mischief by using petrol with the intent to cause destruction by setting fire to an MBJB tow truck at the vehicle storage depot at Lot 1, Johor Baru Waterfront, at 11.07am on Aug 15.
The incident resulted in losses amounting to RM24,000.
The court postponed sentencing to enable CCTV footage to be submitted.
Deputy public prosecutor Siti Fatimah Mamu did not offer bail.
However, the court granted bail of RM7,000 with additional conditions.
This includes reporting to the nearest police station once a month, surrendering his passport and refraining from disturbing prosecution witnesses.
Johor Baru Selatan OCPD Asst Comm Raub Selamat had said the incident was believed to have been triggered by the suspect’s dissatisfaction after his car was towed by the council a day earlier.
