KUALA LUMPUR: A p-hailing rider was sentenced to 10 years' jail and two strokes of the rotan for armed gang robbery against an engineer, who lost RM190,000, including a BMW car and luxury watches.
Sessions Court judge Egusra Ali sentenced Nur Muhd Rusydi Abdul Raman, 32, and ordered him to serve the jail term from his arrest on Oct 29 after he pleaded guilty to the offence.
He was accused of committing gang robbery armed with a grass cutter with another accomplice who remains at large on Mohd Hafidz Mohd Ismail, 43, and escaped with RM9,000 cash, an iPhone 15 Plus and other valuables.
It occurred at a house in Presint 16 at 3am on Oct 27.
The court heard that Rusydi and another suspect, Mohd Ezwan Kamaruzaman, 33, who wore face masks and were armed with the grass cutter.
They fled in the BMW M2, which was later found behind a mosque in Segambut Dalam.
Rusydi was arrested at 8pm on Oct 29 in Batu Caves and police seized from him jewellery and luxury watches.
On Nov 2, Ezwan was arrested at the carpark of an apartment in Damansara Damai and police seized a car, a set of car keys and two handphones.
The next day, Rusydi led police to the MMR2 Highway, where the grass cutter was disposed of.
The victim, during an identification parade, had identified Rusydi based on his eyes, belly, skin tone and clothing.
In mitigation, Rusydi, who was unrepresented, pleaded for a light sentence.
Deputy public prosecutor Nor Aisyah Mohamed Zanyuin asked the court to impose a harsh punishment on the accused.
"The valuables were found in Rusydi's possession, which showed that he had robbed the victim.
"A heavy penalty will deter him from repeating the act and demonstrates that the court views the offences he committed as serious."
However, Ezwan, who stood in the dock next to Rusydi, claimed trial to the same charge.
Their accomplice, Abdul Rahman Abdullah, 35, was charged with possessing the iPhone 15 Plus, with knowledge that it was obtained by way of a gang robbery.
He allegedly committed the offence at a shop in Batu Caves at 4.30pm on Oct 29.
Nor Aisyah did not offer bail as the offence is non-bailable.
In mitigation, lawyer Nurul Diyana Basher said Ezwan earned RM3,000 monthly as a tailor and was the sole breadwinner of his family.
"There is no submission by the prosecution that he may abscond. There is no such risk at all.
"His mother is here today and will bail him out. I ask for a minimum bail sum."
As for Rahman, she said he was not a flight risk as he had a permanent address and a business here.
She asked the court to use its discretion to allow bail.
The court allowed each accused a bail of RM15,000 with two sureties and ordered them to report to the police station monthly and surrender their passports if they possess one.