BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

THE Magistrates’ Court yesterday sentenced a man to serve two months in jail after he admitted to filing a false police report.

The court document filed by prosecuting officer Muhammad Aiman Adri Ahmad Zakaria states that defendant Ak Nurasri Pg Hj Tajuddin, 30, filed a police report on June 18 stating that a Nissan Almera was missing somewhere in Tutong Town.

An investigation into the missing car was subsequently carried out which included taking statements, obtaining documents and visiting the alleged crime scene in Tutong.

On August 17, police arrested Ak Nurasri after they received information that the report made by the defendant was false.

Investigations revealed that the defendant was in the midst of arranging the transfer of the car from a man named Othman. The arrangement was for the defendant to take over the loan repayments for the car from Othman.

Ak Nurasri received the keys to the car but the transfer of ownership was not finalised yet, due to unfinished paperwork.

On June 15, Othman returned to defendant’s home to follow up on the transfer, but the defendant was not there.

On June 16, Othman went to the house again to take the car back from the defendant. He waited from 12am until 1.30am when the defendant and his brother arrived home.

The defendant then told Othman that the car went missing in Tutong town and assured he will file a report to the police, which he did on June 18.

However, following the defendant’s arrest, it was revealed that the car was given to a third party to sell in Miri, Malaysia. In return, the defendant received a commission from the third party.

Ak Nurasri admitted that he lodged the false report to hide the fact that he unlawfully gave the car to a third party for commission to sell in Miri, knowing that the transfer of ownership process was not yet completed. The car was never recovered.

During the proceedings yesterday, the court has ordered for Ak Nurasri to serve the jail term with immediate effect.

The Brunei Times