KUCHING, May 14: A 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court here to a charge of dangerous driving that resulted in the deaths of five individuals in an accident along Jalan Stutong Baru earlier this year.
He also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of driving a motor vehicle while underage, before Magistrate Ling Hui Chuan, after the charges were read out to him.
The court fixed June 17 for the next case mention, pending a probation report from the Social Welfare Department and granted bail at RM5,000 with his parents acting as sureties.
The teenager was charged under Section 41(1) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for causing death by reckless or dangerous driving, and under Section 39(1) of the same Act for driving a motor vehicle while underage.
In the accident that occurred on Jan 14, the teenager lost control of the car he was driving and crashed into two vehicles and two motorcycles.
Four victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while another succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, in a separate proceeding before the Magistrates’ Court, the teenager’s 35-year-old father pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 33(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 for allowing his son to drive without supervision.
Kuching Magistrates’ Court senior assistant registrar Noraini Ahmad imposed a fine of RM15,000, in default 12 months imprisonment.
The court also ordered him to perform 100 hours of community service within six months. – TVS
