Eight foreigners fined RM800 each for flouting CMCO

Magistrate M. Saravanan meted out the sentence to Rajiv Ahuja, Al Mutawakel Zaid Yahya Zaid, Larbi Belbaraka, Hayat Iskandar, Ibrhaem Mohammaed S Ibrahim, Mohamed Farah Yassin, Masetto Marco Braian and Ayeyi Kolawale Isaac, aged 21 to 43, after they pleaded guilty to the charges.

They were also ordered to serve one month in jail if they failed to pay the fine.

According to the charge sheet, all eight, including Africans and Americans, were charged under Regulation 3 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) (No. 8) Regulations 2020 by assembling without exercising physical distancing at the Reggae Bar, 158, Jalan Tun HS Lee, Dang Wangi, here, at 2.20 am, on Oct 19.

The offence is punishable under Rule 11 (1) of the same rule, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries a fine of RM1,000 or imprisonment of up to six months, or both, upon conviction.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Lim Chooi Yee urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence.

However, Belbaraka, who was represented by lawyer Haijan Omar, applied for a minimum fine on the grounds that he had repented while the seven others, who were not represented, also appealed for leniency.

Meanwhile, in another Magistrate’s Court, a Korean man was fined RM500 in default of 14 days in jail for failing to register his personal details in the My Sejahtera application and registration book when entering a restaurant, two weeks ago.

Magistrate Mohamad Fared Abdul Latif fined Chung Yun-Noh, in his 60s, after the latter pleaded guilty to the charge which was allegedly committed at a restaurant at No 46, Lorong Kampung Pandan here, at 10.40 am on Oct 8.

The accused paid the fine.