By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Nov 12: Two men were sentenced to six months in prison today by the Magistrate’s Court for attempting to steal telecommunications cables belonging to Telekom Malaysia in early November.
Senawi Abang, 41, and Martin Stahlmann, 33, each pleaded guilty to the charges before Magistrate Syarifah Fatimah Azura Wan Alwi.
The men faced charges under Section 379 of the Penal Code, read alongside Sections 34 and 511, for their attempted theft.
According to the court proceedings, the crime took place around 12am on November 4, by the roadside at Taman Desa Wira, Batu Kawa.
The incident unfolded when a maintenance worker from the telecom company, along with two colleagues, spotted the two suspects inside an underground cable vault, apparently attempting to cut and steal the cables.
The maintenance crew managed to restrain Senawi and Martin. However, additional men emerged from a nearby vehicle, one armed with a machete, causing the workers to retreat for safety and promptly report the incident to police.
Police subsequently conducted searches around the Batu Kawa area, leading to the arrest of the two suspects at separate locations.
Further investigation confirmed their involvement in the attempted theft, with witness identification linking them to the scene.
ASP Arman Ibrahim prosecuted the case, while the accused represented themselves in court. — DayakDaily
