SHAH ALAM – A Nepalese security guard was fined RM40,000 by the Sessions Court on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to abusing a cat in a case described as cruel and deeply disturbing.
The accused, Arman Shah, 33, entered his plea before Judge Nor Hasniah Ab Razak for a single charge of cruelty towards the animal.
The court also ordered that he serve 15 months’ imprisonment should he fail to pay the fine.
According to the charge, Arman was accused of abusing the cat on the fourth floor of an apartment at Kota Kemuning, Section 31, here, at 12.30am on Nov 15.
He was charged under Section 29(1)(a) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015, which carries a penalty of up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to RM100,000 or both.
During the proceedings, Arman, who was unrepresented, pleaded for leniency. He said wanted to return to Nepal and he is taking care of his mother who was ill.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Sofea Jaysal, however, argued that the conduct was severe and unacceptable.
“This case has gained public attention to the point of sparking anger and concern among the public," she said pressing for a deterrent sentence to serve as a lesson not only to the accused but also to society.
On Nov 21, it was reported that Arman had earlier been sentenced to four months’ jail by the magistrate’s court for two separate offences: appearing half-naked in public and entering Malaysia without valid documents.