BATU PAHAT: A 41-year-old cook, who worked as a henchman for loan sharks, was sentenced to 11 years' jail by the Sessions Court here after he pleaded guilty to two counts of arson involving a house and a car last week.
The accused, Pua Chee Kang, told Judge Osman Affendi Mohd Shalleh that he committed the crimes out of fear, claiming, "If I didn't do it, the loan sharks threatened to burn my house."
Pua, who served 42 months in prison for similar offences in 2021, was charged with causing mischief and damaging property by fire.
The court heard that on Dec 22 at 1.50am, Pua had set fire to a house belonging to a 43-year-old man in Parit Bilal.
For this offence, he faced a maximum sentence of 10 years' jail and a fine.
In a separate offence on Dec 14 at 2.34am, Pua burned a car belonging to a 34-year-old woman in Taman Banang Ria here. The offence carried a maximum penalty of 14 years' jail and a fine.
Deputy public prosecutor Sharifah Natasha Syed Ahmad said both incidents involved the use of petrol.
The victims reported the incidents after hearing explosions and finding a note at the scene reading, "Pay your debt, or I'll burn."
The arson was captured on CCTV camera, leading to Pua's arrest. The damage from both incidents were estimated at RM20,000 to RM50,000.
The court sentenced Pua to five years in prison for the first charge and six years for the second, which were to run consecutively.
Pua, who was unrepresented in court, remained silent during sentencing.