Today I had an interesting gentleman in my Court. He was had a ticket for a motorcycle parking offence. If he had paid it at the traffic police station it would have cost him RM 30. He was not satisfied with the ticket. Apparently, he went to the traffic police station to vent out his frustration. Our officers must’ve had enough of him and he was told to tell his tale in Court. That is just what he did.
When the charge was read to him, he pleaded not guilty. I sensed something amiss here. After all it was a parking offence. Why bother to go for full trial? There must be something interesting here. I asked him, innocently, if he understood the charge. (This is such a good way to let people blurt out their side of the story). He then began his story.
He said that he did park his bike at the wrong place along with many other motorcycles. But it was only his motorcycle that was summoned! He said that he felt discriminated! Maybe it was because he was an Indian he was summoned. (How did the policeman knew he was Indian I have no idea and did not bother to ask) This was, to him, a racial discrimination by the police! He could have paid the RM 30 fine but he wants JUSTICE!! He felt betrayed by the police and he wants to stop the injustice. When he went to the traffic police station and related his ordeal, the policeman just told him to bring himself and his story to Court and tell it to the Magistrate.
Not to mention there were about 4-5 counsels in Court waiting patiently for their cases when this gentleman was ‘submitting’ his story to me.
I allowed him to relate his sad story and told him that I have no power to take any action base on his story. He could be telling the truth or it could all be a blatant lie. The best recourse for him to take was to lodge a police report. In that report, he should state what transpired, why he felt discriminated, how he went to the police and was told to come to Court and when he did, the Magistrate advised him to lodge a police report. He didn’t look that pleased.
“Why didn’t the police at the Traffic Police Station told me to make a police report?”
“I really do not know. You might want to put that question in your report as well.”
To move on with my cases, I asked him if he did parked his bike at the wrong place. He said he did. I fined him RM 50. I hope he doesn’t think that the extra RM 20 was for the legal advise that I gave. Hehehe.
Blog adjourned!
When the charge was read to him, he pleaded not guilty. I sensed something amiss here. After all it was a parking offence. Why bother to go for full trial? There must be something interesting here. I asked him, innocently, if he understood the charge. (This is such a good way to let people blurt out their side of the story). He then began his story.
He said that he did park his bike at the wrong place along with many other motorcycles. But it was only his motorcycle that was summoned! He said that he felt discriminated! Maybe it was because he was an Indian he was summoned. (How did the policeman knew he was Indian I have no idea and did not bother to ask) This was, to him, a racial discrimination by the police! He could have paid the RM 30 fine but he wants JUSTICE!! He felt betrayed by the police and he wants to stop the injustice. When he went to the traffic police station and related his ordeal, the policeman just told him to bring himself and his story to Court and tell it to the Magistrate.
Not to mention there were about 4-5 counsels in Court waiting patiently for their cases when this gentleman was ‘submitting’ his story to me.
I allowed him to relate his sad story and told him that I have no power to take any action base on his story. He could be telling the truth or it could all be a blatant lie. The best recourse for him to take was to lodge a police report. In that report, he should state what transpired, why he felt discriminated, how he went to the police and was told to come to Court and when he did, the Magistrate advised him to lodge a police report. He didn’t look that pleased.
“Why didn’t the police at the Traffic Police Station told me to make a police report?”
“I really do not know. You might want to put that question in your report as well.”
To move on with my cases, I asked him if he did parked his bike at the wrong place. He said he did. I fined him RM 50. I hope he doesn’t think that the extra RM 20 was for the legal advise that I gave. Hehehe.
Blog adjourned!
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