MUAR: Two loan sharks who set fire to a house and car of two debtors will spend the next nine years behind bars.
This comes after the duo, Zaza Putra Roslan, 32, and Nur Azman Hassan Ashari, 37, pleaded guilty to two charges of arson each before Sessions Court Judge Sayani Mohd Nor.
Zaza and Nur Azman were also fined RM12,000 each.
They were charged under Sections 435 and 436 of the Penal Code for committing mischief by fire with intent to cause damage to property and a house.
On the first count, Zaza and Nur Azman were charged with deliberately setting fire to a 43-year-old woman's car in Taman Wawasan 2 at 3.30am on March 28.
On the second count, they were charged with setting fire to a 39-year-old man's house at Taman Wawasan, at 4.30 am on the same day.
According to court documents, Zaza and Nur Azman were instructed to collect debts from the victims, who had defaulted on loans.
After repeated failed attempts to recover the money, the defendants, with accomplices, resorted to arson.
Both victims lodged police reports at the Tangkak police station, which led to the suspects' arrest a few days later.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohammad Arif Marzuki led the prosecution, while the accused were unrepresented.
For the first charge, the court imposed a six-year prison sentence and a RM10,000 fine. The second charge carried a three-year sentence and a RM2,000 fine.