KOTA KINABALU: An unemployed man pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court here on Friday to trespassing into the State Palace as he claimed that he had received guidance from God to enter there to be the next Head of State (TYT).
Rio Fazzley Rahmat, 34, who appeared before magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun, was accused of committing the offence on January 21.
The alleged offence was framed under Section 448 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail term of up three years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
When asked by the magistrate why he entered the palace, the accused answered that he wanted to be the Tuan Yang Terutama or Head of State.
The accused also showed to the court a bag of clear plastic which contained medicines.
Rio claimed that he is a patient of a mental hospital.
However, the prosecution stood up and tendered a psychiatry report which showed that the accused was fit to make plea and to stand trial.
Earlier, the accused who was facing another charge of committing mischief by damaging five doors at the palace, had pleaded guilty to the charge.
The court had stood down for a while and not long after that, the accused’s cases were recalled.
Rio had maintained his guilty plea under Section 427 of the Penal Code for damaging all the doors on the same day.
The indictment provides for a jail term of up to five years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.
In pleading for a lenient sentence, the accused said that he has five kids and his wife is a housewife.
He also claimed that he was given guidance or he referred to as “hidayah” from God to enter the palace.
When inquired by the court that the said “hidayah” he claimed was to trespass the palace, the accused answered “yes”.
During last minute of the hearing, the accused had requested to appoint a defence counsel to represent him for these cases.
The magistrate took note of it and gave the accused an opportunity to look for a lawyer before passing the sentence.
The court fixed June 21 to re-mention the cases and the accused was released on a bail of RM2,000 with two local sureties for both his charges.
The facts of the case stated after the accused had damaged all the five doors inside the palace, he sat on a sofa before he was found by one of the staff there.
According to an engineer, the damage to all the doors was estimated at RM18,400.