AYER KEROH: A Retired soldier was fined RM1,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here on Wednesday (Aug 26) for slapping a 13-year-old boy whom he suspected of stealing a chicken.
Mohamad Abdullah, 63, on Wednesday (Aug 26), pleaded guilty before Magistrate Sharda Shienha Mohd Suleiman to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt. The magistrate also ordered him to serve one month in prison if he defaults on the fine.
The offence was committed at about 5.15pm on Aug 11 along Jalan TM35, Taman Tanjung Minyak, in the Melaka Tengah district.
According to the prosecution, the teenager was chasing a chicken along the roadside when Mohamad confronted him and accused him of theft. Despite the boy's denial, the accused slapped him twice on the right cheek.
The victim subsequently received treatment at a clinic for a soft tissue injury to his cheek before filing a police report.
The charge was framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum prison term of one year, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.
During mitigation, counsel JC Goh from the National Legal Aid Foundation requested a light fine, highlighting that the accused relies solely on a RM1,500 monthly pension to support his unemployed wife and three children.
