KULIM: The magistrate's court here today slapped a van driver with fines totalling RM9,500 after he pleaded guilty to two separate charges of inciting religious and racial hatred at a mosque in Lunas last week.
The accused S. Velan, 43, from Teluk Air Tawar, Butterworth pleaded guilty when the charges were read to him before Sessions Court Judge Mirza Mohamad, who presided in the absence of the magistrate.
The father of two, who appeared in an orange lock-up attire, pleaded guilty to the first charge of disrupting religious sensitivity by throwing paint on the compound of a mosque.
He committed the offence at about 3.26am on Sept 19 at Masjid Jamek Taman Kucai in Lunas.
Velan who appeared composed during the proceeding, nodded and pleaded guilty to the charge framed under Section 298 of the Penal Code. It carries up to one year jail term or a fine, or both.
The accused also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of disrupting religious sensitivity by throwing prayer sticks at the mosque's fence.
He committed the felony about 2am on September 24 at the same mosque.
Deputy Public Prosecutor S. Pavitra who prosecuted the cases urged the court to impose a deterrent punishment against the accused as a lesson, since he had committed the offences twice.
Lawyer Fieza Fazlin Fandi from the National Legal Aid Foundation who represented the accused, pleaded for leniency as Velan had cooperated with the police upon his arrest and admitted to committing the offenses.
"The accused is married. He is supporting his wife and two children on a monthly income of RM1,500 as a van driver.
"He is remorseful for his wrongdoings and has saved the court's time and resources by pleading guilty to the charges.
"Hence, he is appealing for leniency and promises not to repeat his mistakes," Fieza told the court.
Mirza then sentenced the accused to a RM4,000 fine for the first charge and RM4,500 fine for the second charge respectively.
Later in the same court, Velan pleaded guilty to a charge of drug abuse by administrating methamphetamine into his body.
He committed the offence at about 6.20am on Sept 24 at the Kulim district police's Narcotics Investigation division.
The charge was framed under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 read together with Section 38B of the same Act.
It carries a fine up to RM5,000 or a jail term not more than two years, and subject to be placed under surveillance up to three years.
Pavitra urged the court to impose a RM5,000 bail on the accused but Fieza pleaded for a lower amount.
The court subsequently fixed the bail at RM1,000 on one surety and set Jan 24, 2024 for mention pending a pathology report.
On Sunday, Kedah police chief Datuk Fisol Salleh was reported as saying that the substance found in a can of paint left near the mosque was not pork lard as previously speculated on in social media.
He had clarified that the substance contained no animal DNA and was actually dried white paint.
Fisol was reported as saying that the man who was arrested in connection with the case had also admitted to involvement in a previous incident, claiming to have heard 'voices' telling him to do so.
He had said background checks revealed that the man had a criminal record involving four drug-related cases and had served a jail sentence previously.