Three Indons Jailed 18 Months And Caning For Theft, Mischief

Bandar Seri Begawan - Three Indonesian visitors who took advantage of a 14-day visit to the country and committed theft and caused damage to property were sentenced to 18 months jail and ordered two strokes of the cane each yesterday.

three were first sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment by Senior Magistrate Hj Abdullah Soefri after they pleaded guilty to stealing cash amounting to B$1,666.00.

They were then sentenced to another six months in jail and ordered two strokes of the cane when they admitted to committing mischief. And the magistrate ordered that their sentences run consecutively.

The court heard that the three Indonesians committed the offence with two others, where one a Bruneian who is still at large. The police are still looking for the two.

Prosecuting officer Dk Hjh Hana Molina Pg Hj Mohammad said the it all happened when the three defendants entered the country on March 28 on social visit passes and stayed at a lodging house at room number 7 at No. 40 in Simpang 44, Kg Serusop, Berakas.

And after a week in Brunei, they went near Standard Chartered Bank in Gadong using a white Honda Accord car registration No BE 2741, with the common intention to look for a victim to steal.

Their plan was to follow any person leaving the bank carrying large sum of money and to steal from that person when the opportunity arose.

The three defendants also planned to use a screwdriver to force open door locks should the money be left inside the vehicle.

Abdullah was driving the said car in which Rudy and Aji were passengers.

At last Aji identified a victim, Lim Ming Hock, who was driving his green Toyota Corolla bearing registration number BM 6926 and followed him to the parking area near a leading supermarket in Kiulap.

When the victim left his locked car, Rudy then went out from the Honda vehicle towards the victim's car and began to force open the car door using a screw driver which was handed to him by one of the accomplices who is still at large.

The car door lock of the victim's car was then damaged as a result of Rudy's attempt to unlock the door.

The damage caused to the victim's car door locks cost B$148.00 to repair, the prosecuting officer said.

Rudy then picked the lock and took out money amounting to B$1666.00 and one SCB cheque book left under the front passenger seat of the victim's car.

The money was then divided among the three and the other two accomplices still at large.

Police arrested the three on April 26.

Upon the arrest of all the three defendants, all of them had in their possession cash amounting to B$1104, RM 70, US$5 and Indonesian rupiah 308,000.00.

However the stolen SCB cheque book could not be recovered, the prosecuting officer added. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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