Furious over unpaid wages, Bangladeshi man jailed for 26 months

BATU PAHAT: A Bangladeshi man was sentenced to 26 months in prison after a dispute with his employer over an allegedly unpaid salary escalated into violence and property damage.

The man pleaded guilty at the Yong Peng magistrate's court yesterday to three charges, including assault and damaging 20 saplings last week.

The accused, Rofiq, 25, made the plea to the charges read by a Bangladeshi interpreter before Magistrate Arun Noval Dass.

For the first charge, he was accused of intentionally causing injury to the victim, a 33-year-old man, on Jalan Labis-Yong Peng at 10pm on Dec 7.

He was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of one year's imprisonment, a fine, or both.

He was also charged with criminal intimidation under Section 506 of the same Act, with the offence occurring at the same date and time.

For the third charge, he was accused of committing mischief by damaging 20 saplings belonging to the company where he worked, at Jalan Yong Peng at 12pm on Dec 8.

The confrontation escalated when the accused struck the victim's back, causing injuries.

He also damaged 20 saplings belonging to his employer, resulting in losses amounting to RM6,000.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Farah Wahidah Mohd Sharip led the prosecution, while the accused was not represented by a lawyer.

After hearing submissions from both sides, the court sentenced the accused to one year in prison under Section 427 of the Penal Code, eight months for Section 323, and six months for Section 506.

The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently from the date of his detention, Dec 8.

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