KUALA LUMPUR: An unemployed man was sentenced to five years in jail by the Sessions Court here today for possession of two machetes in a public area without a permit last year.

Judge Siti Aminah Ghazali handed down the sentence on Mohammad Zamani Muhammad, 31, after he changed his plea to guilty at the proceeding today which had been fixed for trial.

He was ordered to serve the jail sentence from the date of arrest, which was Oct 13 last year.

The man was charged with possession of the dangerous weapons without a permit at a roadside near a bridge heading to Kampung Pasir Pantai here at 7.10 pm on Oct 13 last year.

The charge was framed under Section 6 (1) of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958 which provides an imprisonment for up to 10 years and is liable with whipping, if found guilty.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Ahmad Hakimi Wan Ahmad Jaafar prosecuted, while Mohammad Zamani was unrepresented.

-- BERNAMA