KUALA LUMPUR: Three lorry drivers were fined RM1,200 each by the Magistrate's Court for jointly causing bodily injury to another man over a work dispute.
Azizan Majid, 49, Muhammad Shahrul Haizi Suhaime, 23, and T. Maniraj, 25, pleaded guilty to intentionally causing injury to the waist and right thigh of another man named Leong Yoke Choong, 25, in an incident at an office in Desa Sri Hartamas at about 11am on Sept 15.
Magistrate Khairunnisak Hassni also ordered the men to serve one month in prison if they fail to pay the fine.
The three men were charged under Section 323, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum one-year jail term, RM2,000 fine, or both, upon conviction.
During mitigation, lawyer Mohamad Zaidi Othman, who represented the men, appealed for a lower fine.
He said his clients, who worked as lorry drivers at a construction company, had been instructed by their employer to come to Kuala Lumpur.
“They were asked to meet their supervisor because of issues involving a lack of work and insufficient trips, but found that the victim, who was a salesperson of their company, had given work to another company.
“It was on their employer's instructions to obtain an admission from the victim that the work had been transferred.
“They did not intend to cause serious injuries, but only wanted an explanation as to why the work was given away,” Mohamad Zaidi told the court on Monday (Sept 21).
He added that all three men were remorseful over the incident, noting that all three had pleaded guilty unconditionally without need for a trial.
Zaidi said Azizan was married with three children who were still studying and also supported his elderly mother.
He said Shahrul was unmarried and the eldest of two siblings, with his younger sibling still studying at Universiti Teknologi Mara.
Meanwhile, Maniraj was unmarried but had responsibility for supporting his 53-year-old mother, while his father also worked as a lorry driver.
Zaidi added that none of the them had previous criminal convictions, all of them had fully cooperated with police, as well as having apologised to the victim.
Prosecuting officer Insp Alli Nangai Muniandy appeared for the prosecution.
