GEORGE TOWN: A durian orchard caretaker was fined a total of RM7,500 by the Magistrate's Court here on Wednesday (Aug 12) after he pleaded guilty to two charges involving possession of an imitation weapon and criminal intimidation against a man last week.
The accused, Choong Ah Cheng, 57, entered the plea after the charges were read out by a court interpreter before Magistrate Nadratun Naim Mohd Saidi.
On the first charge, Choong was accused of unlawfully possessing an imitation Hatsan AT44-10 QE air rifle, in his hut at a durian orchard in Bukit Gambir here at about 10pm on Aug 5.
He was charged under Section 36(1) of the Arms Act 1960, punishable under Section 36 of the same Act, which carries a penalty of jail for up to one year, a fine not exceeding RM5,000, or both, upon conviction.
On the second charge, he was accused of criminally intimidating a 42-year-old man by threatening to cause serious injury to him at the same durian orchard at about 5pm on Aug 4.
The offence was charged under Section 506 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to seven years, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
During the proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ahmad Danial Amir Saad urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence on the accused.
However, counsel Shariffah Farveen Syed Ibrahim, representing Choong, appealed for the minimum fine.
Shariffah Farveen said her client had a wife and a daughter to support and worked as an orchard caretaker without a fixed income.
"My client also regrets his actions and has promised not to repeat the offence," she said.
After hearing submissions from both sides, Nadratun Naim fined Choong RM3,000 for possessing the imitation weapon, in default eight months' jail.
For the criminal intimidation charge, the court imposed a RM4,500 fine, in default nine months' jail.
It is understood that the threat was made following a misunderstanding between the accused and the victim over access to the durian orchard.
