KUALA LUMPUR, June 15 — Cinema operator Golden Screen Cinema Sdn Bhd (GSC) was fined RM45,000 by the Ayer Keroh sessions court yesterday for profiteering by overcharging for snacks.

The company was also charged for increasing the price of its mineral water bottles and potato chips, reported Utusan Malaysia.

Melaka Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) director Norena Jaafar said the bottled water was sold at RM3.30 and the chips at RM5 compared to RM2.40 and RM3.40 respectively at other outlets.

Norena added that GSC was found guilty after examining the evidence of three prosecution witnesses and four defence witnesses alongside submissions from the prosecution and defence.

"Judge Nariman Badruddin ruled that the defence failed to raise reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case.

"After the court heard the sentence reduction appeal from the defence counsel as well as analysing the submission from the prosecution, the judge imposed a fine of RM45,000 for the charge.”

She explained that the accused asked for a reduction in the sentence due to it being a first-time offence caused by technical errors that resulted in a ‘small profit margin increase’.

The offence was committed at GSC in Dataran Pahlawan, Jalan Merdeka, Bandar Hilir, Melaka.