KUCHING: An Indonesian man was fined RM10,000 by the Magistrates’ Court on Monday (June 26) after pleading guilty to operating an online gambling machine using a smartphone at a shop in Padungan here on June 20.
The 20-year-old defendant admitted to the charge under Section 4B(a) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953 before Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi.
The offence took place at a shop in Jalan Sungai Padungan at about 1.10pm on June 20, according to the charge.
If convicted, the defendant could have faced a fine of up to RM100,000 for each gambling machine and a maximum jail sentence of five years.
During an operation conducted by the police, the defendant was arrested for allegedly operating an online gambling machine using an Oppo smartphone at the targeted shop.
The police seized the smartphone and RM185 in cash during the raid.
A gambling expert’s report confirmed that the smartphone was indeed being used as an online gambling machine, as evidenced by online gambling transactions found on the device.
In addition to the gambling offence, the defendant was also fined RM3,000, or three months’ imprisonment, by the Sessions Court for entering the country without a valid travel document.
Judge Afidah Abdul Rahman ordered the defendant to be referred to the Immigration Department after serving the imposed sentence.
The cases were prosecuted by DPP Norshafatihah Nor Azmi and Insp Nur Syafiqa Nyaie Ilin while the defendant did not have legal representation.
