KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 — A 29-year-old unemployed father of two was sent to jail for a month after admitting to stealing basic household items worth RM113.70 from a supermarket in Kuala Terengganu on New Year’s Day.
According to Sinar Harian, Magistrate Iffah Nabihah Mohd Ishak imposed the sentence on Muhamad Azrul Haqim Azman after he pleaded guilty to the charge when it was read out in court today.
Court papers said the theft took place at about 9.30pm inside a supermarket, where the accused took everyday necessities.
The items included a bottle of Carrie Junior Hair and Body Wash, two units of Selsun 2-in-1 shampoo, a Lifebuoy body wash and a Byford singlet — all valued at RM113.70.
The case was brought under Section 380 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in jail and a fine, with repeat offenders facing harsher penalties, including whipping.
In a plea for leniency, the defence told the court that Muhamad Azrul had fallen on hard times after losing his job and had no steady income. He is married and has two young children, aged four years and just three months.
The lawyer said the items were taken not for resale, but for the daily needs of the accused and his family.
The court also heard that Muhamad Azrul suffers from high blood pressure, has no previous criminal record, and that this was his first brush with the law.
