Police Escort Pleads Guilty & Fined RM1,000 For Assaulting Deaf E-Hailing Driver
The suspect was charged under Section 323 of the Penal Code.
By Aleya Natasha Mohd Ali — 04 Nov 2024, 06:14 PM
A police escort assigned to a VVIP has been fined RM1,000 for injuring a disabled man at a hotel earlier this year
According to FMT, the accused, Taufik Ismail, pleaded guilty in the magistrates' court after the charge under Section 323 of the Penal Code was read out before Magistrate Farah Nabihah Dan.
The 32-year-old was accused of deliberately hurting a deaf and mute e-hailing driver, Ong Ing Keong, 47, at The St Regis Kuala Lumpur hotel lobby at 11.40am on 28 May.
The charge under Section 323 of the Penal Code carries a penalty of up to one year in prison, a maximum fine of RM2,000, or both upon conviction.
The accused paid the RM1,000 fine in lieu of serving a 20-day jail sentence.
The accused's lawyer, Ashok Athimulan, requested a lenient sentence, noting that it was his client's first offence and highlighting his clean nine-year police record along with the victim's minor injuries
"He is remorseful over the incident and has extended his apologies to the victim.
"The incident was not planned, nor was there any serious element of violence. No weapon was used," the lawyer said, pleading that a mere fine would suffice.
Ashok also said that the victim only sustained soft tissue injury and did not suffer any bleeding from the assault.
Meanwhile, deputy public prosecutor Razali Che Ani urged the court to impose a sentence commensurate with the offence as the incident had attracted significant media attention
"He was an escort to a VIP. The punishment must serve as a deterrent to the accused and would-be offenders," said Razali, who was assisted by deputy public prosecutor Safarizal Zakaria.
