The Intermediate Court yesterday sentenced a 39-year-old local man to 30 months in prison and one whipping for house-breaking and theft at a residence in Kuala Belait.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Abdul Musawwir bin Haji Mahli and Ahmad Firdaus bin Mohammad revealed that Rosli bin Mat Tassim, along with two accomplices, broke into a house on Jalan Singa Menteri between the evening of May 2 and the afternoon of May 3, 2024. The group entered the property by climbing over the gate and breaking in through a side window before ransacking the premises.
The court heard that Rosli stole a small battery-powered light and a yellow-coloured waterjet, while his accomplices took other unidentified items. Police investigations established that the homeowner, discovered the break-in on May 3 and filed a report, leading to Rosli’s arrest three days later.
During questioning, Rosli admitted to the crime but was unable to confirm what his accomplices had stolen. Investigators also found that he later disposed of the stolen items into a river near Jalan Mumong. The stolen waterjet, valued at BND180, was never recovered.
Judge Radin Safiee bin Radin Mas Basiuni handed the sentence after taking into account the prosecutors’ highlights on Rosli’s prior convictions for theft and trespassing, including a 12-month jail term in 2020 and an 18-month sentence in 2021 for multiple property-related offences. – Fadley Faisal
