ALOR STAR: The Sessions Court here today sentenced two Myanmar nationals to 18 months jail for illegal possession of 6,200 litres of subsidised diesel in Pokok Sena last year.
Judge Jean Sharmila Jesudason meted out the sentence after the accused Zaw Min Naing, 45, and U Kyaw Hla, 39, decided to enter a guilty plea to an amended charge during the trial yesterday (May 19).
Both men had initially claimed trial to the charge.
On Feb 28, last year, both men, who held a United Nations Refugee Agency card had claimed trial to illegal possession of subsidised diesel.
They were jointly charged with having in their possession 6,200 litres of subsidised diesel.
The diesel was stored in two skid tanks and was uncovered during a raid at an unnumbered premises in Kampung Bukit Lada, Jalan Kubur Panjang at 12.15pm on Feb 24, 2023, during Op Tiris by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry.
The charge was framed under Section 21 of the Control of Supplies Act 1961.
The offence is punishable under Section 22(1) of the same Act, which carries a fine of up to RM1 million or a maximum of three years' imprisonment or both upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Hezrin Abd Wahab and Mohd Hilmi Abu Hassan prosecuted while lawyer Adam Majid represented both the accused.
In mitigation, Adam told the court that both men regretted their mistake and pledged not to repeat it.
He also told the court that Zhaw had a wife and six children while U was married with two children, aged 8 and 6, to support.
However, Hezrin pressed for a commensurate punishment to serve as a lesson.
He also urged the court to take into into account the public interest, adding that the government had increased the penalty for the offence.
The judge subsequently passed the sentence on both accused. She ordered that they serve the sentence from the date of their arrest on Feb 24 last year.
The court also ordered the proceeds from the sale of the diesel worth RM13,330 and other items seized in the raid to be forfeited to the government.