KOTA KINABALU,  April 21 — Fifty-two people aged between 19 and 69, who included two women, were charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today with defying the movement control order (MCO) for leaving their homes with no reasonable cause.

Forty of them pleaded guilty and were ordered by Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles to carry out community service for four months, in default three months jail, after the MCO has been lifted.

Nine others, all foreigners and without valid documents, also pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 14 days’ jail to be served from the dates of their arrest.

The other three pleaded not guilty, but two of them were not allowed bail as they did not have valid documents and the court set July 6 and 7 for mention.

 All of them were caught at several locations in the Kota Kinabalu district between April 16 and 18 for flouting Regulation 3 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures within the Infected Local Areas) Regulations 2020, which is being enforced under the MCO. — Bernama