KUCHING: A car wash worker received a 12 year prison sentence from the Sessions Court after pleading guilty to setting fire to tissue packets in two separate supermarket incidents last month.
Judge Musli Abdul Hamid sentenced 33 year old Rizam Zawawi to five and seven years imprisonment respectively for the first and second charges, effective from his 25 August arrest date.
He faced accusations of committing mischief by fire by burning tissue packets, causing 3,000 ringgit in losses at a Jalan Liu Shan Bang supermarket on 17 August and 1,072.60 ringgit in losses at a Batu Kawa supermarket on 21 August.
The charges were brought under Section 435 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years and a fine upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Ruvinasini Pandian and Umi Syukriah Harun handled the prosecution while the accused remained unrepresented during proceedings.
According to case facts, the accused employed a modus operandi of setting fire to tissue packets and disposable diapers to distract staff while attempting to steal other items.
He successfully escaped with a box of carbonated drinks from one premises, with the entire incident captured on closed circuit television leading directly to his arrest. – Bernama