The Court of Appeal on June 18 adjusted the sentence of Muhd Munawarah bin Haji Abdul Kadir, who was convicted for his involvement in the theft of copper cables causing disruption to telecommunications services.
Initially sentenced to five years and four months’ in jail and six strokes of the cane, Muhd Munawarah’s success appeal led to a reduction in the corporal punishment. The court amended the strokes from six to four, recognising his guilty plea and cooperation with authorities after his arrest.
The case stemmed from a night-time theft operation on November 18, 2021, where Muhd Munawarah and seven others targetted a United National Networks Sdn Bhd (UNN) site in Kampong Sungai Kebun. They breached the site, cut and removed copper and fibre optic cables, causing over BND2,000 in damages and disrupting services for hundreds of customers.
At the appeal, arguments centred around the severity of the initial sentence compared to Muhd Munawarah’s mitigating factors, including his cooperation post-arrest. Prosecutor Nurhidayatul Aeny Alisah binti Haji Zullizam acknowledged an error in the original sentence and supported the reduction of corporal punishment.
Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong highlighted the need for deterrence in cases impacting essential services and public infrastructure. Despite the reduction in caning, the court believed the initial jail sentence fit the seriousness of the offence. – Fadley Faisal
