Court upholds good behaviour bond on family

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal here yesterday while maintaining the two-year bond of good behaviour imposed on five members of a family for stealing an assortment of cosmetics worth RM2,171.50 during Ramadan last year, advised them to repent of their action.

Justice Datuk Wira Mohtarudin Baki led the panel, which also comprised Datuk Seri Zakaria Sam and Datuk Kamardin Hashim, in making the decision, in the case of Rohaya A Rahman, 58, her daughters Noriza Che Abdullah, 39, Maimunah, 27, and Nurul Fatihah, 20, and her daughter in-law Zariah Zakaria, 38.

“This is a chance given by Allah to you. I hope all of you repent. With beauty that you already have, why do you need to steal,” he said.

On June 21, 2016, the five women were sentenced to three years imprisonment by Kota Tinggi Magistrate’s Court in Johor after they pleaded guilty to stealing 17 cosmetic products of various brands at a health and beauty shop in Taman Anggerik, Bandar Tenggara, Kota Tinggi at 11.40am on June 17, 2016.

They appealed against the sentence.

The Johor Bahru High Court subsequently allowed their appeal and set aside the three-year jail term but imposed a two-year bond of good behaviour on them.

The prosecution appealed against the decision, which the Court of Appeal dismissed today after allowing a preliminary objection raised by the women’s lawyer Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Zainal.

The court of appeal concurred with counsel that the prosecution had failed to plead the legal issues in its appeal.

Meanwhile, the women were seen in tears and hugged each other after the decision.

Deputy public prosecutor Wong Poi Yoke represented the prosecution.