Kota Kinabalu: An unemployed man who told the Magistrate’s Court, Tuesday, that he was forced to steal food items from a hypermarket for survival was jailed two months and fined RM500.
Musrikil Wara, 49, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Lovely Natasha Charles on Tuesday to stealing three packets of Indocafe, a packet of Nestum, three bottles of deodorants and a bottle of perfume valued at RM113.92 at Servay Hypermarket in Mile 7, Inanam at 9.10pm, on Jan 6.
Musrikil was sentenced to two months’ jail from the date of his arrest and fined RM500 or one month jail.
He had committed an offence under Section 380 of the Penal Code which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years and also liable to a fine.
Inspector Kelvan Elson Maik, prosecuting, in tendering the facts of the case, informed the court that Musrikil was detained by a security guard after he was spotted in a suspicious manner while carrying a sling bag.
The said items were found inside the bag, the court heard.
Musrikil also confessed to not making any payment before walking out of the premises as he has no source of income and said that the proceeds of the stolen goods would be used to buy syabu.
Unrepresented, Musrikil, who has three children, requested leniency by saying that his life was hard and he was forced to steal to survive.
Kelvan pressed for an appropriate sentence.
In another case, a supermarket worker was jailed five months and ordered to be caned once for causing hurt to a man with a rod iron, last year.
Mohd Affendi Yakob, 38, pleaded guilty before Magistrate Jessica Ombou Kakayun to committing the offence to one Lim Chee Hong, 57, at 10.30am on July 18, 2022 behind the Jaya Automart Accessories 3 shop, Putatan.
The charge, under Section 324 of the Penal Code, carries a jail term of up to 10 years or fine or whipping or any of two of such punishments on conviction.
The court was informed by the prosecution that the incident occurred after Lim, who was Affendi’s friend, was joking with him.
The victim, who suffered injuries on his hand, received treatment from the general hospital, said the prosecution.
Unrepresented, Affendy requested for a lenient sentence by saying that he regretted and repented and promised not to commit a similar offence in the future.
Inspector Albert Basiri, prosecuting, applied an adequate sentence.
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