Filipino jailed for stealing from employer

KOTA KINABALU: A company worker was jailed 10 months by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday for stealing RM1,500 in cash from his employer.

Alipudin Saddam Hussin, 24, who pleaded guilty before magistrate Mohd Faiz Omar, was convicted under Section 381 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of seven years and also liable to a fine, upon conviction.

The undefended accused admitted to stealing the cash from the company at Jalan Tugu in Kampung Air here on October 16.

Prosecuting officer Inspector Syahrin Ali told the court that the accused was asked by his boss to collect payment at a shop in Sinsuran totaling RM1,500.

Syahrin said the accused had joked that if he was late, his boss should contact the police station. The accused’s boss then waited a few hours but the accused still did not turn up even though the distance between the company and the shop was not so far.

The accused’s boss, who is also the complainant, had tried to contact the accused’s number but there was no response. Then at 4pm on the same day, the accused answered a call made by the company’s clerk and said that he was having coffee.

Not long after that, the accused reached the office without the said cash. According to the accused, he was stopped by a Crime Investigation Department (CID) police officer in civilian clothing who showed his police card to him and later took the cash.

Syahrin further said that when the accused’s boss asked for the police officer’s name, the accused said that he had no idea about the name.

The accused claimed that the police took the cash because they found that the accused did not bring any travel documents and when a check was conducted on him, the police found the cash while the invoice had been thrown away.

Apart from that, the accused also claimed that his cellphone was taken by the police but the complainant, who felt suspicious about the accused’s statement, later lodged a report against the accused for stealing the cash.

The court also ordered the accused, who is a Filipino, to be referred to the Immigration Department for further action after serving his sentence.