Single mum gets 10 years more

Court increases jail time on appeal

KUALA LUMPUR: The dream of a 57-yearold single mother to walk free after serving her sentence for criminal breach of trust was shattered when the High Court increased her jail time.

Rosinah Haron did not react as Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Shariff Abu Samah revised the punishment to 12 years in jail for the crime she committed nine years ago.

The former clerk at the Accountant-General’s Department of Malaysia had pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment for 29 counts of falsifying unclaimed money vouchers totalling RM918,811.25.

Rosinah committed the offence at the Accountant-General’s Department office between Aug 27, 2008 and Dec 21, 2010.

The prosecution then appealed against the sentence.

“You took close to RM1mil. The 24 months’ jail is like punishment for a theft at a supermarket.

“The Sessions Court must re-evaluate the facts and consider the people’s confidence in the court. We cannot tolerate such a serious crime,” said Mohamad Shariff.

He then passed the 12-year sentence for each of the 29 counts. The sentences are to run concurrently and starting from the date of arrest on April 19 last year.

“I really do hope you will repent,” he added.

Earlier, DPP Haderiah Siri submitted to the court that the Sessions Court had erred when it factored in the guilty plea heavily into the sentencing.

“The punishment is not adequate for the crime. A guilty plea should not be an automatic discount factor,” she said.

Rosinah, who was unrepresented, told the court that she hoped for the court to maintain her sentence.

“If Your Honour were to increase the sentence, I hope it is only one year more. I also ask for the court to close my case file,” she said.

After the proceedings ended, Rosinah was taken to Kajang Prison.