KUCHING: A former student of Henry Gurney School pleaded guilty after being charged at the Magistrates’ Court here with making a criminal threat to burn down his father’s house.
The 20-year-old defendant appeared before Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan on Wednesday (Aug 9) as charges under Section 506 of the Penal Code were read out.
As stated in the charge sheet, the accused deliberately conveyed menacing words via a phone call to his 54-year-old father, wherein he warned of incinerating their property in Jalan Lapangan Terbang at around 9am last Monday (Aug 7).
If convicted, he could potentially face a maximum prison term of seven years, a fine, or both.
Magistrate Mason Jaro, however, granted the accused provisional release upon a cash bail of RM2,000 and a local surety. This arrangement will hold until a social report is prepared and presented on Sept 18.
According to the incident’s particulars, the complainant received a demand for RM100 from his son (the defendant). Faced with the threat of igniting their home, the father rushed to the scene and discovered evidence of petrol having been poured within the living room, attributed to the accused.
Concerned for his family’s wellbeing, the complainant filed a police report immediately, leading to the apprehension of the defendant on the very same day.
The prosecution’s case was presented by deputy public prosecutor Inspector Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang while the defendant proceeded without legal representation.
