A mechanic has been sentenced to five years in prison for attempting to kill a police officer by running him over near Damansara Damai last week.
Sessions Court judge Noor Ruzilawati Mohd Nor handed down the sentence on Friday after Tan Teek Lai, 33, pleaded guilty. The court ordered the jail term to take effect from his arrest on October 10.
Tan, who was driving a Proton Wira, was charged with attempting to kill Corporal Muhamad Firdaus Maulud by running him over along Jalan Sungai Buloh-Kepong in Damansara at 6.21pm on October 9. The incident left the officer with a broken left arm.
The charge was brought under Section 307 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years upon conviction.
According to the facts of the case, a Mobile Patrol Vehicle (MPV) police unit on patrol spotted Tan’s car behaving suspiciously and ordered him to stop. However, he refused to cooperate and fled, crashing into several vehicles belonging to members of the public.
Muhamad Firdaus then attempted to pull Tan out of the car after spotting what appeared to be a pistol in his hand. However, Tan suddenly accelerated the vehicle, causing the officer to suffer a fracture to his left arm.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurfadzlin Mahmad Zulhasnan sought a heavier sentence, citing the public interest and the need to deter both Tan and others from committing similar offences.
“The incident involved not only a police officer but also members of the public whose vehicles were damaged. Furthermore, the accused’s actions endangered the public,” she said.
Tan, who was unrepresented by a lawyer, pleaded for a lighter sentence, saying he needed to care for his elderly parents. He also promised not to repeat the offence and apologised to all the police officers involved.
