KOTA KINABALU: A man who followed his two friends in a car to go home after a drinking session was jailed five weeks for violating Standard Operation Procedures (SOP).
Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles meted out the sentence on Kasrin Suriadin, 26, after he pleaded guilty to committing an offence under Section 269 of the Penal Code.
The offence carries imprisonment of up to six months or a fine or both, upon conviction.
Kasrin had committed the offence at 11.30pm on June 2, in Jalan Pintas Kopungit.
According to the facts of the case, a police team who conducted "Snap Check Op Covid-19" in Jalan Pintas Kopungit stopped a car that was heading towards the city.
There were three people inside, and based on the SOP, only two persons were allowed in a car.
Further investigation revealed that they were on their way home from an alcohol drinking session at their friend's house in Penampang.
In pleading for leniency, the unrepresented Kasrin told the court that his parents are old and he has young siblings to look after.
Asked why he broke the SOP, he answered that his friends had brought him.
Kasrin will be referred to the Immigration Department after serving his sentence.
In a separate case, the same court sentenced a man to three months' jail for trespassing on a cruise ship.
Mohd Asli Nasir, 26, admitted to committing the offence at 3.50pm on June 2, at the Sepanggar Bay jetty.
He was convicted under Section 448 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to three years or a fine or both, upon conviction.
The facts of the case stated that Asli entered the ship without permission as he allegedly wanted to steal plastic pipes.
However, he was unsuccessful in doing so as he was nabbed by a man with help from villagers who surrounded the place.
Asli, who only has a birth certificate as his identification, was ordered to be referred to the Immigration Department after his incarceration.
Meanwhile, another man charged with keeping a stolen motorcycle will have his case re-mentioned on July 22.
No plea was recorded from Lee An Leong, 20, who appeared before magistrate Lovely via video call.
Lee was accused of committing the offence at 3.05pm on June 7, in Inanam, Taipan.
The court allowed him to be released on bail of RM1,000 with two local sureties.
Inspector Lim Swee Beng prosecuted all cases.