M’sian Woman Sentenced to 3 Months in Jail for Stealing Groceries Worth RM374.69 Out of Desperation

A woman was sentenced to 3 months in jail by the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court yesterday (April 21), after pleading guilty to stealing various groceries from a supermarket in Brickfields on Saturday (April 19).

According to a report by Sinar Harian, Magistrate Aina Azahra Arifin ordered 38-year-old Lini Ahmat to serve the sentence from the date on which she was arrested, which is April 19.

This image is for illustration purposes only.

She was charged with stealing 30 items, including snacks, personal care products and daily necessities worth RM374.69. The charge was framed under Section 380 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine.

Desperation caused her actions

The woman’s lawyer, Qurratu ‘Aini Zafirah Mat Shoib, requested a lighter sentence on the grounds that the woman was forced to commit the offence due to financial pressure, besides having to support her 6-month-old child and her sickly 76-year-old father.

“My client is unemployed while her husband has just found a job after the family moved here from Sarawak. She is in a desperate situation and has no money to buy basic necessities,” the lawyer explained.

The Deputy Public Prosecutor, Hench Goh, on the other hand, requested a sentence that would serve as a lesson to the accused.

What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.

Also read: Police Station Chief Arrested After Testing Positive for Drugs While Partying at Club in Ampang