Former High Court judge’s driver jailed three after pleading guilty to criminal intimidation

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 11 — The former driver of a Kuala Lumpur High Court judge was sentenced to three months’ jail by the Magistrate’s Court here today for criminally intimidating the judge last May.

Magistrate Heng Yi Min handed down the sentence after Mohd Fareez Mohd Zin, 39, changed his plea to guilty during today’s case mention.

According to the charge, he is accused of committing the offence against High Court Judge Gan Techiong, 64, with the intention of causing fear and alarm to the judge at the Kuala Lumpur High Court (Civil) complex, Jalan Duta, here, at 1.30pm on May 8.

The charge, under Section 506 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum jail term of two years, a fine, or bot.

According to the facts of the case, Mohd Fareez sent two threatening voice recordings via WhatsApp and made a phone call to Gan’s secretary.

In the voice recording, the accused allegedly made defamatory statements and threats against the judge.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Iman Nurhidayah Ezani urged the court to impose a sentence commensurate with the seriousness of the offence.

“The offence is serious and could jeopardise the reputation and safety of the complainant, even though no physical injury was caused. A proportionate sentence must be imposed to serve as a deterrent to the accused and society as a whole,” she said.

Counsel Shah Rizal Abdul Manan, representing the accused, appealed for a lighter sentence, citing his client’s responsibility to support three children and an unemployed wife. — Bernama