IPOH: Two men were fined RM5,000 each by the Magistrate’s Court here for impersonating as police officers and demanding money from two individuals at Taman Ipoh Timur Baru.
Wong Jiun Wei, 24, and Lim Boon Ping, 40, pleaded guilty after the charge, framed under Section 419 of the Penal Code, was read out in Cantonese before Magistrate Mohd Harith Mohd Mazlan on Tuesday (Nov 4).
They were jointly accused of committing the offence in front of a restaurant along Lebuh Bercham Selatan 1, Taman Ipoh Timur Baru at 12.38am on Saturday (Nov 1).
They had allegedly posed as traffic police officers to deceive two complainants Leong Cheng Kang, 17, and Chong Meng Li, 15, by demanding money from them in exchange for not issuing a summons or taking them to the police station.
A video of the incident had also gone viral on social media.
Deputy Public Prosecutor S. Nishaalini said the accused had worn vests, caps, carried handcuffs and walkie-talkies and had police stickers resembling those used by the police.
“They demanded money from the complainants, with one of them transferring RM400 after being told they could be fined RM900 for modifying their motorcycle.
"The court needs to impose a sentence that will serve as a lesson to the accused, as their actions could affect the police integrity, and the fact that the incident was caught on video," she added.
Lawyer K. Nathan, who represented the two accused, said that Wong is an electrician, while Lim is a food shop assistant, with both earning about RM1,500 per month.
"Both of them had been remanded for four days and since the incident had gone viral, it could impact their families and they might also lose their jobs.”
He said both expressed remorse and cooperated fully with police, while pleading for a lower sentence that is payable by the families.
Magistrate Mohd Harith ordered both the accused to pay a fine of RM5,000 each, in default 12-months’ jail term.
He also ordered for the items used by both men during the incident to be disposed of.
Wong also faced a second charge under Section 89 of the Police Act 2024.
He pleaded guilty and was fined RM2,000, in default five months’ imprisonment.
