SIBU: A 39-year-old man was sentenced to 12 years’ behind bars and given five strokes of the whip by the Sessions Court here yesterday for committing gang robbery.
Sessions Court Judge Marutin Pagan convicted Frankie Chaong Lagi from Nanga Temiang, Song of the offence after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Another accused Shirley Patrick Massam, 37, from Sungai Naman, Sibu who was jointly charged with him, however pleaded innocence.
The joint charge preferred against them stated that they had jointly committed gang robbery on a 23-year-old woman of her mobile Iphone at bus terminal in Jalan Khoo Peng Loong at about 7 pm on Feb 12.
The offence was framed under Section 394 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and liable to whipping upon conviction.
During the proceedings, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Rex Heng Yi Min told the court that on Feb 12 at about 7 pm located at the scene, a man suddenly came and asked to borrow the complainant’s mobile phone.
However the man then took away her mobile phone and ran away.
Subsequently the complainant lodged a police report for further action.
Following a tip off on Feb 20 at about 10 am, a team of police led by Insp Kumareswaran Murugan arrested a couple and detained them for further investigation.
Police investigation revealed that upon arriving at the scene at the material time and place, the complainant was approached by the accused on the pretext of borrowing her mobile phone.
However the accused took away her mobile phone and fled.
Marutin ordered Shirley to be released on bail in the sum of RM5,000 bail with one surety and scheduled the pre-trial case management to Mar 27 at 9 am.
Both accused were not represented by legal counsel.
