KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — A kuih seller was today sentenced to eight months’ jail for intentionally causing the death of a cat on May 31.

Online news outlet Free Malaysia Today reported today that Faizul Azlan Ridzuan, 47, was handed down the sentence by Magistrate Nadratun Naim Saidi at the Magistrates’ Court in Penang.

Faizul Azlan had changed his plea to guilty after earlier pleading not guilty when the case came up for remention, online news portal Harian Metro said in another report today.

He was accused of causing the cat’s death on June 6 by placing it in a gunny sack and tossing it into a river along Jalan Kota Giam in Jelutong.

The incident happened at 8.30am on May 31, said the report.

The charge was filed under Section 428 of the Penal Code, which stipulates a penalty of up to two years imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.

He pleaded not guilty, and the magistrate set bail at RM6,000 with one surety.

Deputy public prosecutor M Darrshini handled today’s prosecution.

The accused was represented by R. Puran, a defence lawyer from the National Legal Aid Foundation.

A 66-second video had earlier gone viral when it showed several people retrieving a gunny sack containing the cat’s body from a river.