FMT:
Court slashes Sarawakian mum’s 2-month jail term to 6 days for theft
Ho Kit Yen
The High Court says Lini Ahmat was ‘desperate’ when she committed the offence as she was still awaiting employment
The High Court ordered Lini Ahmat’s release today, considering that she was arrested on April 19 and had been detained for almost a week.
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has reduced a Sarawakian mother’s two-month jail sentence to six days for stealing more than RM300 worth of groceries and food.
Justice K Muniandy said the two-month sentence imposed by the magistrates’ court against Lini Ahmat was excessive for her offence of stealing groceries and food items amounting to RM374.69 from a supermarket.
“The accused was desperate (during the commission of the offence),” he said, after the court was told that Lini was awaiting employment as a cook in a food court and had no money to sustain herself here.
The revision was called by the High Court to review the lower court’s ruling on Tuesday.
Lini had pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing 30 items at the supermarket on April 19. The goods included personal care products, bread, eggs, biscuits, soy milk, tissue and toothpaste.
Muniandy noted that Lini had been arrested on April 19 and was detained by the police for almost a week.
“The accused is hereby released today,” he added.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Izalina Abdullah said the prosecution conceded that the two-month sentence was excessive, as those who plead guilty to theft are usually fined or sentenced to seven days in prison.
Lini’s lawyer Collin Arvind Andrew said his client was remorseful for her actions and hoped that the court could reduce her sentence.
Lini told the court that she had come to Kuala Lumpur to look for a job and subsequently bring her children here to live with her.
Justice K Muniandy said the two-month sentence imposed by the magistrates’ court against Lini Ahmat was excessive for her offence of stealing groceries and food items amounting to RM374.69 from a supermarket.
“The accused was desperate (during the commission of the offence),” he said, after the court was told that Lini was awaiting employment as a cook in a food court and had no money to sustain herself here.
The revision was called by the High Court to review the lower court’s ruling on Tuesday.
Lini had pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing 30 items at the supermarket on April 19. The goods included personal care products, bread, eggs, biscuits, soy milk, tissue and toothpaste.
Muniandy noted that Lini had been arrested on April 19 and was detained by the police for almost a week.
“The accused is hereby released today,” he added.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Izalina Abdullah said the prosecution conceded that the two-month sentence was excessive, as those who plead guilty to theft are usually fined or sentenced to seven days in prison.
Lini’s lawyer Collin Arvind Andrew said his client was remorseful for her actions and hoped that the court could reduce her sentence.
Lini told the court that she had come to Kuala Lumpur to look for a job and subsequently bring her children here to live with her.
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kt comments:
Praise to Zaid Ibrahim who excoriated the judgement and sentencing yesterday - read my post:
I wonder for such guilt, a suspended sentence commuted into community service or some other form of rehabilitation process.
ReplyDeleteDo wonder if it is possible to have community chest to assist people who struggles...?