Taufik Ismail, a lance corporal, pleaded guilty in the magistrates’ court here after the charge under Section 323 of the Penal Code was read out before magistrate Farah Nabihah Dan.
The 32-year-old was accused of causing hurt to deaf and mute e-hailing driver Ong Ing Keong, 47, at the lobby of the St Regis Hotel in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, at 11.40am on May 28.
Section 323 provides for up to a year in prison, a maximum RM2,000 fine, or both, upon conviction.
Taufik paid the fine. He would have been jailed for 20 days if he had failed to do so.
Ong was assaulted by a police escort to Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim while waiting to pick up passengers at the hotel.
Tunku Ismail subsequently urged the police to carry out a thorough investigation into the incident.
The victim as well as several rights groups had expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of prosecuting the suspect, prompting Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to respond by saying the case was not closed.
Ong himself had submitted a memorandum to Anwar over the prolonged delay in wrapping up the case.
Taufik’s lawyer Ashok Athimulan told the court that his client, who has been in the police force for nine years, had an unblemished track record and was a first offender.
“He has saved the court’s time and resources by pleading guilty at the earliest reasonable time.
“He is remorseful over the incident and has extended his apologies to the victim,” he added.
Ashok also said Ong only sustained soft tissue injury and did not suffer any bleeding from the assault.
“The incident was not planned, nor was there any serious element of violence. No weapon was used,” the lawyer said, pleading that a mere fine would suffice.
Deputy public prosecutor Razali Che Ani urged the court to impose a sentence commensurate with the offence as the incident had attracted wide media publicity.
“He was an escort to a VIP. The punishment must serve as a deterrent to the accused and would-be offenders,” said Razali, who was assisted by deputy public prosecutor Safarizal Zakaria.