A Malaysian police officer has been accused of stealing jewellery from the body of a woman who was found dead in a car last month.
The officer, Lance Corporal Mohd Alifah Mohd Sapie, 35, pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate’s Court today to charges of stealing two pieces of jewellery from the deceased, identified as 26-year-old Nur Farhana Nisha Syazwan.
Reported by Harian Metro, the incident, which has sparked outrage, allegedly took place on the morning of October 1st, when the body of Nur Farhana was discovered in her car, which was parked on the roadside in Prima Setapak, Wangsa Maju, with the engine still running and the lights on.
According to the charges, Mohd Alifah stole a necklace and bracelet belonging to the victim.
He was charged under Section 379 of the Penal Code, which could see him facing up to seven years in prison, a fine, or both.
The charge was read out to him before Magistrate M S Arunjothy.
The victim’s father, Syazwan Abdullah, a 59-year-old retired police officer, was the one who initially noticed that the jewellery was missing after the burial of his daughter in Banting, Selangor.
He had been informed about the discovery of his daughter’s body by her house rental tenant, and upon learning of her tragic death, he began to look for personal items that were precious to his daughter, including the gold necklace, pendant, and bracelet that had been gifts from her grandmother and sister.
It was only after this search that Syazwan realised that his daughter’s jewellery had been stolen.
Following his complaint, four police officers were detained in connection with the theft.
Pleaded not guilty
In court, Mohd Alifah pleaded not guilty to the charge while his lawyer, Lavinia Raj, argued that the police officer, who has five young children, should be granted bail.
She explained that the accused’s monthly salary of RM2,500 was insufficient to support his family if a high bail were to be set.
She requested a minimum bail of RM1,000, citing the accused’s responsibilities as a father.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Vivi’Asnita Zaina’Larifin, who represented the state, argued that the offence was non-bailable, which led to Magistrate Arunjothy granting bail of RM3,500 with one surety.
The next mention of the case has been scheduled for January 22, 2025.
READ ALSO:
