Fadley Faisal

A local man received a jail and caning sentence from the Intermediate Court last Saturday, on separate charges of gang robbery and assault.

Judge Radin Safiee bin Radin Mas Basiuni had previously heard Erwan bin Manggis, 35, plead guilty to gang robbery, but claim innocence to the assault charge.

Eventually, the defendant had a change of heart and admitted to the offence on September 3.

The sentences were then adjusted to reach three years’ imprisonment, along with 12 strokes of the cane, which had been thought out by the Judge in its totality principles.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Fitri binti Kiprawi’s facts of the case stated that at 9.15am on February 12, the defendant and his friend had travelled by bicycle to the Pengiran Babu Raja Apartments in Jalan Batu Satu.

They placed the bicycle by the main gates of the apartment block, intending to enter the compound.

The main gate was fastened with a chain, but they managed to slip through a gap in the gate doors.

They then walked towards the apartments, where they met two Bangladeshis working on the ground floor, and had a brief exchange with them.

Later, on returning to the same spot after a survey of the area, the defendant got into an argument with the workers, because he thought they were accusing him and his friend of stealing.

He grabbed a machete lying on the floor and sat on a wooden chair, while continuing to berate them.

The Bangladeshi workers grew alarmed, and one began apologising to the defendant. The defendant ignored his pleas and threatened to hurt him with the machete.

The terrified man apologised again, and this time, the defendant asked him for BND30, while still wielding the machete.

When the worker replied that he didn’t have much money, the defendant grew angry and slashed the wires of the generator beside him with the machete.

All this time, the defendant’s friend was at the Bangladeshi workers’ living quarters, where he stole a mobile phone and a powerbank belonging to one of the workers.

Both the defendant and his friend then left the area, taking with them the machete, the mobile phone and the powerbank.

A police report was duly lodged, which led to the arrest of the defendant and his friend, on February 16.

The police investigations coincided with a report made by another person, who had sustained serious injuries after being assaulted by the defendant.

The assault had occurred on January 16, when the victim had attempted to pacify both the defendant and his girlfriend, who were arguing at the multi-storey parking lot in the capital.

The defendant grew annoyed with the victim, and told him to mind his own business.

The victim left the scene, but later, as he was driving out of the parking lot, he was stopped by the defendant, who then forced open the car door and tried to choke him.

The victim kicked the defendant away and got out from the car, only to be punched several times on the face.

The defendant then left with his girlfriend, while the victim was left with a bloodied nose, as well as injuries to the right eye and the back of his head.

On January 17, the victim underwent a medical examination. Although there was no longer any active bleeding, the medical officer found that the victim had sustained injuries serious enough for him to endure surgery.

The court was also informed that the defendant holds previous convictions for offences ranging from theft to assault.