RAUB, Nov 22 — The Magistrate’s Court here today sentenced two security guards to 12 months’ jail and a stroke of the cane each over the loss of RM600,000 from their cash-in-transit van last week.

Magistrate Majistret Shahrul Ekhsan Hasim handed down the sentence on Mohd Razali Kamarulzaman, 29, and Mohammad Asmil Kadni, 26, after they pleaded guilty to criminal breach of trust (CBT).

The two men, who were entrusted with the money as a carrier, were charged with committing the offence between 7.30pm and 10.50pm last November 14 at the Raub branch Securiforce office here.

They were charged under Section 407 of the Penal Code which provides an imprisonment for up to 10 years, whipping and is liable to fine, if found guilty.

According to the facts of the case, the two men were among four security guards entrusted to send four canvas bags containing a certain amount of money to their head office in Kota Damansara, Selangor.

They were alleged to have torn one of the canvas bags and retrieved RM600,000 in RM100 notes into their own backpacks, which were later found in a cupboard in a hotel room. They had spent RM700 of the money to book the hotel room for a week.

In mitigation, Mohd Razali said he earned RM1,500 a month and had a wife and a child to support, while Mohammad Asmil, who is not married, said he is supporting an ailing mother.

Deputy public prosecutor Samirah Khalili prosecuted. — Bernama