43-Year-Old Dad Jailed 6 Months For Stealing RM394 Worth Of Baby Formula & Groceries
The accused was an unemployed father of five.
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A 43-year-old father of five was sentenced to six months' jail for stealing RM394 worth of baby formula and groceries from a supermarket in Kelantan last month
The Kota Baru Magistrate's Court sentenced Wan Eskandar Wan Julihi after he pleaded guilty to stealing 12 packets of milk formula, nine packets of Milo, soft drinks, snacks, and a can opener from PKT Pasir Tumboh on 11 October, reported the New Straits Times.
In his grounds of judgment dated 1 November, Magistrate R Vinoshen said financial hardship and family responsibilities did not automatically warrant a lighter sentence.
In explaining his judgment, he cited a proverb from the Tirukkural, an ancient Tamil literary work by philosopher Tiruvalluvar, "Even if one sees one's own mother starving, one should not commit an immoral or disgraceful act that would invite condemnation from the wise."
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Image via FMTDuring mitigation, Wan Eskandar's lawyer argued that his client was unemployed, had recently been released from prison, and had five children to support
National Legal Aid Foundation lawyer Nik Nasrun Nazmi Nik Mohamad sought leniency, saying Wan Eskandar paid RM300 in monthly rent and suffered from heart disease, high blood pressure, and psoriasis.
He added that his client regretted his actions.
However, Vinoshen noted that Wan Eskandar was not a first-time offender, having previously been convicted of cheating under Section 417 of the Penal Code.
The magistrate expressed concern that he had committed another offence despite having served a prison sentence, stressing the need to deter him and others from reoffending.
The magistrate said the six-month sentence was already below the usual range
Vinoshen explained that a guilty plea saved judicial time and costs but did not automatically entitle an accused person to a reduced sentence.
He also reminded the public that even stealing a loaf of bread was an offence punishable by imprisonment under the Penal Code.
He said previous decisions involving theft under Section 380 generally carried jail terms of one to three years. After considering Wan Eskandar's circumstances and the facts of the case, the court imposed a shorter six-month sentence, which Vinoshen described as proportionate.
