KUALA LUMPUR: Two friends were sentenced to three years' jail and one stroke of the rotan each for robbing a 7-Eleven cashier earlier this month.
Mohd Nazir Bahli, 36, and Ahmad Shahmi Azmi, 31, pleaded guilty to committing robbery when the charges were read out to them before Sessions Court judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid today.
The two were charged under Section 395 of the Penal Code for their crime, which provides 20 years of jail time and whipping upon conviction.
Both had committed the robbery at a 7-Eleven outlet in Taman Pertama, Cheras, here on Aug 18.
According to the facts of the case, they went into the convenience store, with each wearing a white and black t-shirt, at 9.30pm that day.
One of them approached the cashier and started a conversation, while the other went to get a bottled drink and make a payment.
However, they raided the cash register when the cashier was returning their balance and snatched RM65 cash out of it before escaping on a motorcycle.
Emelia ordered both the accused to enter their plea, to which they pleaded for a lighter sentence and said they had learnt their lesson.
They told Emelia they were working as food delivery riders, and each has a wife and one child, while Nazir's wife is five months pregnant.
However, tension filled the air when Emelia asked Nazir why he had committed such a crime, which prompted him to respond by saying he was desperate.
Emelia: How could you say you are desperate? Do you have the heart to feed your wife and kids with such money?
Nazir: No, ma'am.
Emelia: Now, who is in trouble?
Nazir: Me and my family, ma'am… and my friends.
Emelia Kaswati: How old are you?
Mohd Nazir: 36
Emelia: Four more years and you'll be 40 years old. If you were 16 years old, I would've understood that you (could) be young and couldn't think straight. But you're 36 years old.
She ordered the duo to be sentenced to three years' imprisonment and one stroke of the rotan each, despite taking their plea into account.
Deputy public prosecutor Noohani Muhmed Ayub prosecuted, while the accused was unrepresented.
It is understood that Nazir and Shahmi had conspired and committed six robberies, which amounted to RM1,696.85 in Cheras on Aug 18.
They allegedly committed the crime at six places on the same day.
They were charged with six counts for the same crime, under Section 395 of the Penal Code, at four courts.
They pleaded guilty to one charge before Emelia and two charges before Sessions Court judge Siti Aminah Ghazali.
Siti Aminah ordered no bail to both the accused and fixed Sept 26 to deliver their sentence.
However, the duo also claimed trial on one charge before Sessions judge Isralizam Sanusi, and two charges before Sessions judge Hamidah Mohamed Deril.
Isralizam ordered RM10,000 bail for each of the accused, and fixed Sept 26 for case mention, while Hamidah ordered RM8,000 bail for each of the accused, and fixed Oct 5 for case mention.