On Friday, May 3rd, the 13-year-old boy walked into the Magistrate's Court and entered a guilty plea to the awful deed of setting a kitten on fire in the motorcycle parking area of an apartment in Kajang last week.

The charges were read out by an interpreter in front of Magistrate Nik Siti Norazlini Nik Mohamed Faiz, and the confession came soon after.

According to the allegations, on April 22, at 1:08 pm, the juvenile and two other people who are still at large allegedly set a cat on fire in an apartment building in order to cause it severe pain. 

The defendant is charged in accordance with Section 34 of the Penal Code and 29(1)(e) of the Animal Welfare Act of 2015.

He may be sentenced least up to three years in prison, a fine of between RM20,000 and RM100,000 or both if found guilty.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Afiqah Abdul Ghaffar requested RM10,000 of release on bail, citing the seriousness of the animal cruelty charge and its consequences for the general public's welfare.

The mother of the juvenile offender, 30, filed a request for a lower bond amount in response, noting her low monthly salary of RM1,500 as an electronics company factory worker and her status as a single mother.

Nik Siti Norazlini evaluated the arguments put up by both parties and set bail of RM1,000 with a single surety.

Prior to punishment, the court also set June 27 for the Department of Social Welfare (JKM) to submit a character report.

Ever since the incident was captured on camera and went viral on social media, there has been a great deal of public outrage.

A CCTV footage, which was posted on the 23 April, shows a number of people lingering around a motorbike parking lot.

One of them is seen pouring oil on a helpless kitten before lighting it on fire, sending the scared animal running into the flames.

Source: Gutzy Asia