A POLITICIAN from Sabah has been sentenced to 43 months in prison and a fine of RM14,000 after being found guilty of molesting a contestant in the 2021 Unduk Ngadau Negeri.
Phillip Among, 53, was sentenced for all four charges he faced.
Magistrate Marilyn Kelvin found Phillip guilty after the defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case.
Phillip, who was the technical head of the Unduk Ngadau 2021 competition at the time of the incident, was convicted under Section 354 of the Penal Code, which provides for a prison sentence of up to 10 years, or a fine, or whipping, or any two of these punishments.
For the first, second and fourth charges, the court sentenced him to nine months in prison and a fine of RM3,000, or eight months in prison in default of payment, for each charge.
For the third charge, the court sentenced him to 16 months in prison and a fine of RM5,000, or eight months in prison in default of payment.
The total prison sentence is 43 months but the Court ordered all prison sentences for each charge to run concurrently from the date of conviction today, meaning Phillip will only have to serve 16 months in prison and pay a fine of RM14,000.
However, the court allowed the application for a stay of execution of the prison sentence pending an appeal in the High Court, but ordered the fine to be paid today.
According to the first to fourth charges, Phillip molested the Unduk Ngadau contestant on May 19, 2021, between 2pm and 10pm.
All the incidents allegedly occurred at several separate locations, including the stairs near Ever Best Photo in Asia City, the Darvel Bay Borneo Holidays Sdn Bhd Studio in Asia City, in a moving vehicle while en route from a dinner location to an old office in the city, and an office in Metro Town.
The trial began in April 2022, with the court ordering him to present his defence on Dec 12, 2024. - January 12, 2026
