KAJANG, June 27 — A 13-year-old boy who pleaded guilty to setting a kitten on fire in the parking lot of an apartment complex in Taman Sri Kenari in April has been placed on a one-year good behaviour bond by the Magistrate’s Court today.
According to national news agency Bernama, magistrate Nik Siti Norazlini Nik Mohamed Faiz made the decision after reviewing the boy’s behaviour report submitted by the Social Welfare Department (JKM).
The court also ordered the boy to attend interactive workshops organised by JKM and imposed a curfew from 10pm to 6am for a year.
Lawyer Lee Teong Hooi, representing the accused, said during the appeal that his client, who was in tears, admitted his mistake and promised not to repeat the act.
“He apologised to the court and requested to be enrolled in school, where he will start classes next year,” he told reporters after the proceedings.
Prosecutor Norfarhanim Abdul Halim handled the case.
The teenager, along with two others who are still at large, was charged with cruelly causing pain to a cat by burning the animal at 1:08pm on April 22.
The charge was brought under Paragraph 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act 2015 read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for a fine of not less than RM20,000 and up to RM100,000 or imprisonment for up to three years or both.
Previously, a video went viral showing three individuals at the motorcycle parking area of the apartment complex, with two of them dousing what appeared to be a six-week-old kitten with a flammable substance before one of them set the animal on fire.
