MELAKA: A 25-year-old mother of one was sentenced to eight months in jail after she pleaded guilty at a Magistrate's Court in Ayer Keroh here to two charges of stealing donation boxes at separate places of worship.
Magistrate Nabilah Nizam meted out the sentence on Nur Hidayah Abdullah during the proceedings on Friday (May 3).
For the first charge, Nur Hidayah broke into Surau Ar Rahmah, Jalan Limbongan, in the Melaka Tengah district, with the intention of stealing the donation box containing RM700.
The offence was committed at 9pm on April 23, and the charge was framed under Section 457 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum jail term of 14 years and a fine upon conviction.
For the second offence, Nur Hidayah stole the donation box belonging to Surau Selekoh at Jalan Padang Temu, Kampung Padang Temu, in the Melaka Tengah district.
The total amount in the second box wasn't ascertained and the offence was committed at 2pm on April 24.
She faced the second charge under Section 380 of the Penal Code which provides for a jail term of up to 10 years and a fine upon conviction.
Nur Hidayah, who was unrepresented, appealed to the court for a lighter sentence, saying she had a child under the care of the Welfare Department.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Fiqri Hakim Zamri prosecuted and requested the court to mete out a deterrent sentence in view of Nur Hidayah's previous sentence of six months in jail for stealing.
The court then ordered the jail term to start from the date of her arrest on April 21, for both the charges.
