CORONAVIRUS | Eight individuals including a woman pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s Court in Gurun, Kedah today to violating the movement control order (MCO).

All the accused, aged between 20 and 56, made the plea after the charge against them was read out by a court interpreter before Magistrate Nurulrasyidah Mohd Akit.

The court then imposed RM1,000 fine, in default 14 days’ jail on the five accused, namely Mohd Zatil Fauzan Md Khatib Sarbini@Sardini, 23; Muhammad Luqman Hakimi Zaini, 23; Mohd Amirul Faiz Hussin, 26; Muhammad Izzat Muhad Nasziri, 22 and Nur Farah Aisyah Ahmad Maricar, 21.

Sentencing for the two other accused - Khairul Anuar Mohd Nasir and Muhammad Faizal Ahmad, both aged 20 - has been put on hold pending relevant social reports.

The court then allowed the duo RM1,000 bail with one surety each and fixed May 18 for mention.

According to the charge sheet, all the accused were charged with social gathering in an area of infection at a house in Kampung Belakang Masjid Guar Chempedak at 10pm on April 15.

All were charged under Regulation 6 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, punishable under Regulation 11 (1) of the same rule, read together with section 34 of the Penal Code.

In the same court, another man was fined RM1,000 in default six months’ jail after he was found guilty of violating the MCO by moving from a house in Kampung Dulang Kechil, Yan to another located at Taman Awana near Yan at 8pm on April 11.

Ismail Ishak, 56, was charged under Regulation 3 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, punishable under Regulation 11 (1) of the same rule.

The accused also faces a drug-related charge under Section 12 (2) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and for that offence he was allowed bail of RM3,000 in one surety. The court set June 29 for case mention.

Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Waheda Abd Rahman appeared for the prosecution and all the accused were represented by a lawyer from the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK) Masniah Dollah.

- Bernama

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