KOTA KINABALU: A man who sold two stolen laptops in return for food was ordered to serve 40 hours of Compulsory Attendance Order (CAO) by the magistrate's court here today.
Ahmad Shazyaniee Matli, 27, pleaded guilty before magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun to assisting in disposing of stolen items.
The court ordered Ahmad to fulfil four hours of CAO daily, commencing May 1.
"You go celebrate Hari Raya first. You are out (from police lockup) already today," said Jessica, while reminding the accused to strictly follow the court's order.
Ahmad had disposed of the two stolen laptops belonging to a man by selling them to a computer shop in Karamunsing Complex on March 24 at noon.
The offence under Section 414 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to seven years or fine or both, upon conviction.
The court heard that the laptops were reported stolen on April 2 in Inanam after its owner noticed that his office was broken into.
During mitigation, National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK) counsel Lim Ming Zoong @ Lawrence, who represented Ahmad, asked for leniency taking into consideration that the accused was a first-time offender.
Lim said that the accused had received the stolen laptops from his friend. He (Ahmad) then found a customer to sell the two laptops, and the money received was then handed over to his friend.
"The laptops were sold for RM100. The accused only gets food in return. In this case, the accused only partially benefitted from the offence," said Lim.
When asked by the court, Ahmad said that the computer shop offered RM50 for each laptop, as the laptops were already broken.
"I get RM100 and pass the money to my friend. In return, I get food. I do have a family here (Sabah), but I live by myself.
"After this, I will go back to the peninsula and will return here (Sabah) again later," he said.
Inspector Albert Basiri prosecuted.
It was learnt that the accused had been remanded since his arrest early this month.