PETALING JAYA: The High Court has set aside a 10-day jail sentence and a RM4,000 fine imposed on a teeenager who was bathed like a corpse before being handed to the police for attempting to steal money from a donation box at a mosque in Rawang.
Justice Datuk Abd Halim Aman said the punishment for 19-year-old Daniel Iskandar will be replaced by 120 hours of community service over a period of six months.
He said this was decided after hearing submissions from Deputy Public Prosecutor Norhana Sahat, and the teenager, who was represented by lawyers Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, Fahmi Abdul Moin Azman Abdullah and Ilyani Khazairy, Malay daily Sinar Harian reported on Monday (Jan 17).
Also present were lawyers Haniff Khatri Abdulla, Muhammad Hariz Yusoff, Nur Fatin Syakinah Kamarudin, Ahmad Khalil Md Rofiee and Muhammad Mustaqim Ahmad Huzaini, who are all representing the Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association.
Last Monday (Jan 10), a video of a youth being "bathed like a corpse" after he was caught trying to steal from a donation box was circulated on social media.
The act has left Malaysians divided, with some expressing support and others saying that it was inappropriate to punish a person in that manner.
Last Thursday, it was reported that the teenager was slapped with a RM4,000 fine and a 10-day jail term by a magistrate's court.
The punishment was meted out after the accused pleaded guilty to charges before magistrate Nik Mohd Fadli Anik Azlan.