MUAR: A motoring influencer and his younger brother have to serve a one-month jail sentence and pay a RM1,500 fine each after pleading guilty to lodging a false police report about the former’s disappearance.

Tengku Nizaruddin Tengku Zainudin, 38, widely known online as Ija, and Tengku Abdul Aziz Tengku Zainudin, 30, were charged at the Magistrate’s Court here with making a false report and conspiring against civil servants at the Lenga police station at 11.38pm on July 15.

Based on the facts of the case, Tengku Abdul Aziz had claimed that the last time he saw his brother was at around 4pm on July 14 and that his car was found in Sungai Tui, Bukit Kepong about an hour prior.

Tengku Abdul Aziz repor­ted his brother’s alleged disappearance to the police while knowing that the information was untrue.

A search and rescue mission was then called by the Fire and Rescue Department, police and Rela on the same day.

The authorities later uncovered the ruse at around 12.30am on July 19.

Investigations found that both brothers left Johor Baru in separate cars on the morning of July 14, where Tengku Nizaruddin had gone to Pagoh while his brother went to another location.

Upon reaching Pagoh, Tengku Nizaruddin drove his car into the river and then asked his brother to pick him up.

CCTV footage also revealed that the brothers then travelled to Senawang, Negri Sembilan, in the same car, where Tengku Nizaruddin was seen getting into an e-hailing vehicle bound for the Seremban bus terminal.

The facts of the case also stated the Immigration Department logged Tengku Nizaruddin’s exit from the country to Thailand at Padang Besar, Perlis.

Both brothers were charged under Section 182 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum prison sentence of six months or a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, upon conviction.

The brothers legal counsel told the court that Tengku Nizaruddin’s actions stemmed from his financial problems.

When given the opportunity to speak, Tengku Nizaruddin apologised to the public and those affected by his actions.

“I regret my actions and I don’t want to go to jail because my wife is six months’ pregnant,” Tengku Nizaruddin said.

Magistrate Suzana Mokhtar sentenced both brothers to one month in jail and ordered each of them to pay a fine of RM1,500 in default of the prison sentence.

Both paid the fine and started their jail sentence yesterday.