Man Jailed 5 Years For Burning Tow Truck After Axia Was Towed

An unemployed man in Johor Bahru will spend the next five years behind bars after admitting to torching a Johor Bahru City Council (MBJB) tow truck in anger over his car being impounded.

Wan Muhammad Nasrul Wan Ahmad, 31, pleaded guilty to pouring petrol on the vehicle and setting it ablaze at the MBJB depot near Johor Bahru Waterfront on Aug 15. 

The fire caused an estimated RM24,000 in damages before it was put out.

Police arrested him the same day, seizing a lighter and an aluminium can believed to have contained petrol. FB: Community Roda Johor.  

CCTV footage that circulated online showed the tow truck engulfed in flames as the man casually walked away.

In court, Nasrul explained he acted out of frustration after his Perodua Axia was towed the day before. He said he had been offered a reduced compound of RM250 but could not afford it.

“I was angry because my car was towed. Even with the discount, I had no money. I just wanted my car back,” he told the judge during mitigation.

Deputy public prosecutor Siti Fatimah Mamu argued the arson endangered both council staff and the public, stressing that the sentence should send a strong message.

Judge Thalha Bachok @ Embok Mok agreed, ruling that public interest outweighed personal grievances. 

He sentenced Nasrul to five years’ imprisonment and a RM6,000 fine. Failure to pay will add another six months to his jail term.
Johor Bahru Selatan police chief Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat confirmed the suspect’s arrest and revealed he had a prior criminal record under the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, though he tested negative for drugs at the time.

The case was investigated under Section 435 of the Penal Code for mischief by fire, which carries a maximum 14 years in prison.