A RETIRED employee of the Sabah State Railway Department was today fined RM5,000, in default of 10 months’ jail, by the Magistrate’s Court in San today for spreading fake news on Covid-19.

Magistrate Suhailla Selag meted out the fine on Aliuudin Amit, 67, after he pleaded guilty to the offence.

He was charged with circulating a false statement conducing to public mischief through a Whatsapp application about a prisoner in Sandakan Prison who died from Covid-19, the official name given by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the 2019 novel coronavirus.

The offence was committed at Lot 70, Jalan Selunsung, Taman Sempelang, Kota Kinabalu, at 9.34pm on January 23.

The statement was read by an officer of the Sandakan Prison  at 10.46 am the following day.

The charge was framed under Section 505 (b) of the Penal Code, which provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or fine, or both, if found guilty.

In mitigation, Aliuudin, unrepresented, promised not to repeat the mistake and that he had no intention of causing embarrassment to anyone with his action.

Franklin Ganggan Bennet was the deputy public prosecutor .

Aliuudin paid the fine. – Bernama, February 12, 2020.