MELAKA: A married couple has pleaded guilty to stealing 19 packets of milo from a supermarket in Ayer Keroh last July.
The court has sentenced them to 28 days in prison and fined them RM3,000 today.
According to Kosmo, the accused, Mohamad Nor Azam Bakar, 34, and Noor Azura Rosslan, 38, are believed to have stolen 11 packets of 2kg milo worth RM493.57 at 8:02pm on July 16.
For the second charge, the accused jointly committed the same offence the following day at 8:45pm by stealing eight packets of 2kg milo worth RM358.96 from the same supermarket.
For this act, the accused were charged under Section 380 of the Penal Code together with Section 34 of the same act.
If convicted, both could face up to 10 years in prison, along with a fine, and for subsequent offences, they would face imprisonment, a fine, and whipping.
The male accused was also charged with another offence involving the theft of five packets of Nescafe Refill Packs, one packet of facial cotton, and toilet tissue worth RM250.50 from Setia Jaya supermarket on May 14, this year.
If convicted, the accused could face up to 10 years in prison and can also be whipped according to Section 380 of the Penal Code.
Previously, lawyer Nigel Tai, who represented the accused, pleaded for a lighter sentence, arguing that the actions of his clients were to obtain money to cover the dialysis treatment costs for Mohamad Nor Azam's mother.
He added that the couple also has five children, two of whom are disabled, with the father being a burger seller and the mother working as a masseuse.
The prosecution, handled by deputy public prosecutor Wardah Ishhar, requested a severe sentence, considering that both accused committed the offences consecutively and the stolen items were not essential necessities.
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 the fine is not paid.
However, this sentence was ordered to run concurrently from the date of the judgement.