A Malaysian man was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment by the Magistrate’s Court here after pleading guilty to stealing essential items worth RM113.70 from a supermarket on Jan 1.
The sentence was handed down by Magistrate Iffah Nabihah Mohd Ishak against Muhamad Azrul Haqim Azman, 29, an unemployed man, after he pleaded guilty to the charge read out to him on Monday.
According to the charge, the accused committed theft in a storage area of a supermarket at about 9.30pm.
The case was prosecuted under Section 380 of the Penal Code, which carries a penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine. For repeat offences, harsher punishment, including whipping, may be imposed.
Shoplifted shampoo, soap, and a singlet
Among the items stolen were personal hygiene and bathing products, including one unit of Carrie Junior Hair and Body Wash, two units of Selsun 2-in-1 Shampoo, one unit of Lifebuoy Body Wash, and a Byford-branded singlet.
In mitigation, defence counsel informed the court that the accused had been facing financial hardship after losing his job and had no fixed source of income.
The accused is a father of two young children
The lawyer added that the accused is married and has two young children aged four years and three months.
According to the defence, the items were not taken for commercial purposes but for the daily needs of the accused and his family.
The court was also told that the accused suffers from high blood pressure, has no prior criminal record, and that this was his first offence.
The court ordered that the prison sentence take effect from the date of arrest on Jan 2.
The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ely Nazihah Ahmad Yunus, while the accused was represented by legal aid lawyer Ummi Sharmimi Harun from the National Legal Aid Foundation.
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