KOTA KINABALU: Two Indonesian men were fined RM6,000 each, in default, three months’ jail by the Sessions Court here on Thursday for a joint charge of cruelly beating a dog.
Judge Elsie Primus imposed the fine on Pali Lolo, 43, and Tandi Yusuf, 46, after the duo admitted to their charge under Section 18 (1) (a) of the Animals Welfare Enactment 2015 , read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
The indictment provides for a fine of up to RM100,000 or a jail term of up to three years, or both, upon conviction.
Pali and Tandi admitted to committing the offence at a house at Kampung Dambai in Penampang on September 29, 2019.
The facts of the case stated investigation found that the two accused persons had committed the cruel act on the dog which did not belong to them.
Tandi had tied the dog’s throat while Pandi beat its head using a wood until it died.
The incident came to light when a doctor received a video on WhatsApp which showed the dog was cruelly beaten and he then lodged a police report.
In pleading for a lenient sentence, both the unrepresented accused claimed that they had no knowledge about Malaysia’s law regarding cruelty to animals because they claimed that in their country, dog meat consumption is allowed.
They also said that they came here to work and they committed the offence because they wanted to eat the dog.
However, the judge reminded the two accused persons that in Malaysia, they cannot simply do that to animals and the charge that they were facing was a serious one as it carries a hefty fine up to RM100,000.
In reply, the prosecution prayed for an appropriate sentence and submitted that both the accused persons had given full cooperation to the authority on this case.