KOTA KINABALU: A pregnant woman who led cops on a high-speed car chase in the city here has been sentenced to five years’ jail and a RM2,000 fine.
Martini Abdul Ghani, 34, pleaded guilty before two separate magistrates to stealing a vehicle, driving in a dangerous manner and obstructing policemen from carrying out their duties on Feb 12 and 14 at separate locations.
Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles ordered her to be imprisoned for two years on the first count of stealing a black pick-up truck at 8.30am on Feb 12 in Segama here.
Martini was handed another two years' sentence and fined RM2,000, in default seven months’ jail, on the second count of driving the vehicle in a dangerous manner between 10am and 11.30am on Feb 14 along Jalan Sepanggar here.
The court also ordered her to be disqualified from holding and applying for a driver’s licence for five years from Wednesday (April 6).
On the third count, Martini was sentenced to 12 months’ jail by magistrate Stephanie Sherron Abbie for using criminal force on four police personnel, namely Sjn Selamat Ibrahim, Kpl Joseph Dinsim, Kpl Abdullah Baki and Kpl (Support) Razalyinam Abdul Shamad, with the intention to deter them from discharging their duties between 10am and 11.30am on Feb 14 along Jalan Sepanggar.
The accused was ordered to serve the jail sentences from the date of her arrest.
Martini, who was unrepresented, requested a lenient sentence and for all sentences to run from the date of arrest.
She also told the court that she was six months pregnant and would give birth in July, adding that her five children were being taken care of by her sister.
Martini told the court that her husband did not know that she was pregnant because she did not have access to her handphone.
Martini is facing another charge of taking drugs under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act, which is up for mention on April 21, pending a chemistry report.
Insp Kelvan Elson Maik and Insp Suzie @ Stephanie Kupit prosecuted.
Footage of the incident went viral, with the pick-up truck crashing into other vehicles in Martini's bid to escape pursuing police cars.
She was nabbed on Feb 14 after nearly an hour-long chase for over 15km starting from the city centre here to the suburbs in Manggatal.