KUALA LUMPUR (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - Three mobile phone salesmen, who beat up a jobless man for shoplifting in Low Yat Plaza last month, were fined RM1,800 (S$634) each for committing the assault.
Magistrate Muhamad Faizal Ismail also jailed Low Leong Seng, 29, Eric Chan Weng, 23, and Soo Weng Hing, 26, who were jointly charged, for two months each should they fail to pay the fine. However, they paid the fine.
The three men, who work for a telecommunications shop, committed the offences following the purported shoplifting incident on July 11.
Magistrate Muhamad Faizal sentenced them after they admitted to the charge.
Low, Chan and Soo were jointly accused of causing injury to Shahrul Anuar Abdul Aziz, 22, at Level G in Plaza Low Yat.
The statement of facts showed that complainant Mohamad Khairul Azmi Mazlan went to a handphone shop in Low Yat Plaza to look for his handphone. His friend Shahrul Anuar followed to help in the search but they failed to find the device.
Mohamad Khairul, 22, and Shahrul Anuar then split up. He went down to the ground floor via an escalator when suddenly he heard a commotion and people shouted that a man had stolen a handphone and asked people to nab the person.
Upon reaching the scene, he saw Shahrul Anuar being beaten by a group of workers and tried to help his friend. Instead, the group had accused of abetting Shahrul Anuar and began to beat him too.
In asking for leniency, the trio, who were unrepresented, said that they were the youngest sons in their families and needed to support their parents.
Deputy Public Prosecutor N. Joy Jothi urged the court to mete out an appropriate sentence as the case had attracted nationwide interest.
On July 14, Shahrul claimed trial to stealing a Lenovo S860 smartphone, valued at RM800, from a shop at the plaza on July 11.
His case was fixed for mention on Aug 14.
It was reported that the Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said two people were arrested at Low Yat Plaza for theft on July 11, but one was later released by an investigating officer.
Tan Sri Khalid said they had stolen a phone from a kiosk and, after hearing cries for help, staff from another shop stepped in to catch the thieves.
Following that incident, the released accomplice reportedly returned to the plaza with a group of seven men and attacked those who had helped nab him and the alleged thief.
Later that evening, more than 100 people gathered at the mall, eventually leading to a riot that saw five people, including three journalists, injured.
