The High Court here has reduced a Sarawakian mother’s two-month jail sentence to six days for stealing more than RM300 worth of groceries and food.
Justice K Muniandy said the two-month sentence imposed by the magistrates’ court against Lini Ahmat was excessive for her offence of stealing groceries and food items amounting to RM374.69 from a supermarket.
“The accused was desperate (during the commission of the offence),” he said, after the court was told that Lini was awaiting employment as a cook in a food court and had no money to sustain herself here.
The revision was called by the High Court to review the lower court’s ruling on Tuesday.
Lini had pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing 30 items at the supermarket on April 19. The goods included personal care products, bread, eggs, biscuits, soy milk, tissue and toothpaste.
Muniandy noted that Lini had been arrested on April 19 and was detained by the police for almost a week.
“The accused is hereby released today,” he added.
Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Izalina Abdullah said the prosecution conceded that the two-month sentence was excessive, as those who plead guilty to theft are usually fined or sentenced to seven days in prison.
Lini’s lawyer Collin Arvind Andrew said his client was remorseful for her actions and hoped that the court could reduce her sentence.
Lini told the court that she had come to Kuala Lumpur to look for a job and subsequently bring her children here to live with her.
