MELAKA: A lorry driver who punched an asam pedas stall worker for not serving a drink he had ordered was fined RM1,000 by the magistrate's court here today.
Magistrate Sharda Shienha Mohd Suleiman meted out the sentence after Setia Maidin,49, pleaded guilty to the offence.
She ordered the divorcee to serve a month in jail if he failed to pay the fine.
The charge sheet read that he had deliberately caused injuries on the 43-year-old Bangladeshi worker at about 12pm at Gerai Nora Asam Pedas, Medan Selera Semabok on Sept 22.
The charge, under Section 323 of the Penal Code, provides a jail term up to a year or a maximum fine or RM2,000 or both upon conviction.
Based on the facts of the case, Setia had punched the victim twice, causing his cheeks and right finger to swell, and his left ear to bleed.
Deputy public prosecutor Farah Nabihah Sofian asked for an appropriate sentence to be imposed on Setia to serve as a lesson.
In mitigation, defence lawyer Umar Zulkarnain pleaded for a light sentence as Setia works as a part-time lorry driver earning RM9 an hour.
"He is repentant. He is a divorcee supporting a 12-year-old child and he is planning to get married at the end of this year," he said.