Fadley Faisal
Prosecutors levelled more charges against seven local men who earlier pleaded guilty to housebreaking, theft and mischief charges.
In the Tutong District court house yesterday, Intermediate Court Judge Pengiran Masni binti Pengiran Haji Bahar further adjourned the case to February 20 for the prosecution to submit on the sentencing.
Awangku Abdul Malik bin Pengiran Idrus, 28, Muhammad Irwin bin Omar, 41, Muhammad Nazeerul Azim bin Zoelaliffin, 28, Abdul Hafiz Adam, 25, Mohammad Hairul Faizal bin Haji Taim, 38, Mohd Zul Eqram bin Haji Asmad, 39 and Muhammad Nur Syazwan bin Suhaili, 34, face lengthy jail terms and copious number of canings.
Prosecutor Ahmad Firdaus bin Mohammad revealed that the men were alternately involved in break-ins of homes, a school, a construction workers’ camp site, a waste decomposition site and power stations to steal property.
In the course of the thefts, they had damaged property and caused disruptions to United National Networks Sdn Bhd (UNN) networks and Berakas Power Company.
The incidents spanned from Berakas, Meragang, Bukit Shahbandar, Jerudong and Bebatik Kulapis between April and November 2021. The additional charges include some of the defendants having stolen a set of battery cells from an electrical substation on Jalan 99, Kampong Rimba sometime in October 2021.
Muhammad Nazeerul Azim escaped quarantine from the COVID-19 Holding Area Mahad (CHAM) in Tutong District while being positive for COVID-19 on September 25, 2021 to buy a shaver at a nearby department store, disregarding the likelihood of spreading the disease and endangering lives.
The defendants pleaded guilty to the additional charges faced.
