UNEMPLOYED MAN GETS SIX YEARS PRISON FOR TORCHING WOMAN'S CAR

KUALA LUMPUR, June 20 (Bernama) -- An unemployed man was sentenced to six years in prison by the Sessions Court here today after pleading guilty to torching a woman's car two months ago.

Judge Norina Zainol Abdin sentenced T. Gunasegaran, 39, and ordered the prison term to begin today.

Gunasegaran was accused of committing mischief by setting fire to a car owned by Manjeetpal Kaur, 37, valued at RM43,000, in front of an apartment block in Cheras at 3.40 pm on April 11.

He was charged under Section 435 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years and a fine.

According to the facts of the case, while the complainant (Manjeetpal) was in her fifth-floor apartment, her neighbour's child informed her that a man was breaking the window of her car, which was parked on the roadside in front of the building.

When she went outside, she saw the accused standing by the open driver's door, doing something and noticed smoke coming from her car.

The complainant's husband then went downstairs and tried to extinguish the fire but was obstructed by the accused. This prompted several bystanders to intervene, detain the accused, and successfully put out the fire.

The police arrested the accused, confiscating a knife and a lighter from him, and the investigation revealed that he had intentionally set the complainant's car on fire.

Earlier during the proceedings, deputy public prosecutor Ngoh Jess Lynn requested a fitting punishment to serve as a lesson to the accused, emphasising the seriousness of the offense and the loss caused to the victim.

Gunasegaran, who was unrepresented, pleaded for a minimum fine, citing that he is unemployed and caring for his ailing mother.

-- BERNAMA