By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Sept 8: Eleven individuals pleaded guilty to charges of forging rT-PCR Covid-19 test results in court today.
There were 14 accused in this case, aged between 20 to 54, including two civil servants. 11 of them pleaded guilty to the charge framed under Section 471 of the Penal Code at two different Magistrate’s Courts.
Of the 11 who pleaded guilty, five were slapped with a fine of RM5,000 each or in default five months imprisonment by Magistrate Zaiton Anuar whereas the other six accused were sentenced to a fine of RM1,000 each or in default to two months imprisonment by the Magistrate Zubaidah Sharkawi.
They were charged with using a false rT-PCR Covid-19 result slip to enter Sarawak from West Malaysia via the Kuching International Airport in February.
They were charged under Section 471 of the Penal Code which is punishable under Section 465 of the same Code, which carries a maximum imprisonment term of up to two years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
The State Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) secretariat found that the reference number of the result slip that all the accused were using had the same reference number. Subsequently, a police report was lodged for the authorities to further investigate the case.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Ruthra Raj prosecuted. — DayakDaily
