While stealing is inherently a wrong act, there are some who are forced to resort to stealing in order to make ends meet or simply to keep their loved ones alive.
A local couple were sentenced to close to a month in jail and fined by the court after they admitted to stealing several Milo packets from a supermarket in Melaka.
M’sian couple jailed 28 days for stealing Milo, slapped with RM3,000 fine
According to Kosmo, the couple were Mohamad Nor Azam Bakar and his wife Noor Azura Rosslan, who were accused of stealing a total of 19 packets of Milo from a supermarket in Ayer Keroh last July.
For the first charge, they were alleged to have stolen 11 packets of 2kg Milo worth RM493.57 at 8:02pm on July 16.
As for the second charge, they were accused of stealing eight packets of 2kg Milo worth RM358.96 from the same location at 8:45pm the next day.
As a result, the couple were charged under Section 380 of the Penal Code along with Section 34 of the same Act, where they face up to 10 years in prison and a fine.
For subsequent offences, they would face imprisonment, a fine, and whipping upon conviction.
Additionally, Â Mohamad Nor Azam was slapped with another charge after he was accused of stealing five packets of Nescafe Refill Packs, a packet of facial cotton, and toilet tissue worth RM250.50 from Setia Jaya supermarket on May 14, 2024.
He faces up to 10 years in prison and whipping if found guilty.
Stole Milo packets to fund dialysis treatment
Earlier in court, lawyer Nigel Tai, who represented the couple, pleaded for a lighter sentence, saying that they committed the theft in order to obtain money to fund dialysis treatment costs for Mohamad Nor Azam’s mother.
He added that the couple had a total of five kids, two of whom were disabled. He also said that Mohamad Nor Azam worked as a burger vendor while his wife works as a masseuse.
However, deputy public prosecutor Wardah Ishhar called for a harsher sentence, arguing that the couple had committed the offences consecutively and that the the stolen items couldn’t be considered as essential necessities.
Magistrate Khairunnisak Hassni eventually ordered the couple to be jailed for 28 days as well as pay a RM3,000 fine.
In addition, she also imposed a 14-day prison sentence on Mohamad Nor Azam for the third charge and a RM1,000 fine or one month in prison if he failed to pay the fine.
However, she ordered the sentence to run concurrently from the date of the judgement.
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