Stealing is inherently the wrong thing to do in the eyes of the law, and when one is caught, he/she must face the full force of the law.
Such was the case for a senior citizen in his 60s, where he was caught stealing several items from a convenience store in Johor.
Jailed a month for stealing 10 sardine cans, coffee, and mouthwash
According to NST, the suspect, 64-year-old Jamaluddin Yusof, was brought to the Batu Pahat Magistrate’s Court on Monday (Apr 22) to hear the charges brought against him.
Based on the charge sheet, Jamaluddin was accused of stealing 10 tins of sardine, four bottles of mouthwash and two bottles of Nescafe at the store in Parit Raja at 1.15pm.
According to the facts of the case, an employee stopped him and discovered the items on him.
Jamaluddin immediately admitted to the charge when it was read out before magistrate Suhaila Shafi’uddin.
In mitigation, Jamaluddin’s counsel Kamarul Arifin Nordin from the Legal Aid Foundation pleaded for a lighter sentence as his client needed to provide for his children.
However, deputy public prosecutor Farah Wahidah Mohd Sharip opposed it, saying that a sentence that’s in proportion with the crime must be given in order to teach a lesson.
Jamaluddin was eventually sentenced to a month in jail, where he is to serve it starting from the date of his arrest.
Netizens condemn jail sentence
On the other hand, Malaysians were largely in objection to Jamaluddin’s sentence, saying that it was a case of the “poor going to jail while criminals get reduced sentences”.
In an opinion piece published on Malaysiakini, many voiced support for Jamaluddin, arguing that while he must be punished for stealing, but the legal system was heavily in favor of the rich and powerful despite some being convicted for corruption.
Do you think the jail sentence was too harsh? Share with us in the comments!
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