Loan shark henchmen fined for paint attacks

JOHOR BARU: Two men linked to an illegal moneylending syndicate were fined for vandalising homes and vehicles with paint, in a spree tied to loan shark tactics.
R. Sahswin, 25, and P. Yugendran, 31, pleaded guilty to mischief and faced multiple fines, including for drug use and criminal intimidation in three separate courts.
Before Magistrate A Shaarmini, both men were fined RM4,500 each in default of 12 months' jail for splashing paint on a house gate in Jalan Jenawi 8, Taman Puteri Wangsa on May 1, causing over RM35 in damage.
Separately, Sahswin was fined RM1,000 each by Magistrate Nabilah Nizam for defacing a house and a Honda City, incurring losses of RM35 and RM350 respectively.
The acts took place in Jalan Lading 11 and Jalan Tun Abdul Razak on April 27 and May 1.
Yugendran, meanwhile, was fined RM2,200 by Magistrate Atifah Hazimah Wahab for similar paint-vandalism on April 28 at Jalan Hang Jebat 4, Taman Skudai Baru, causing RM249.37 in damages.
All offences were framed under Section 427 of the Penal Code, carrying a maximum five-year jail term, fine, or both.
Sahswin also faced an additional charge under Section 507 of the Penal Code for criminal intimidation after allegedly threatening to set fire to a house using an anonymous written notice.
The threat was made at along Jalan Jenawi 8 on May 9.
The court allowed RM4,000 bail and set June 11 for mention.
For a separate drug-related offence, both men admitted to self-administering dangerous drugs.
Sahswin was fined RM2,500 or six months' jail, and Yugendran RM1,800 or six months' jail, with both ordered to undergo two years supervision by the National Anti-Drug Agency.
They were charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952.
Additionally, both men, along with a third suspect, S.K. Kiren, 24, claimed trial to possessing 20.04g of cannabis on May 14 in Jalan Inang 7, Taman Skudai Baru.
They were jointly charged under Section 6 of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which carries up to five years' jail and nine strokes of the rotan.
All three were granted bail of RM5,000 each with one surety.
Deputy public prosecutors Nor Afiqah Musa and Nik Noratini Nik Azman conducted the prosecutions, while counsel V. Pushparajan represented the accused.

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