Fadley Faisal

A local man was sentenced to two years in jail with three whippings after a trial to a charge of stealing a donation box from a mosque.

Mohamad Hadzri bin Haji Osman was charged with a co-defendant who pleaded guilty earlier and gave evidence as the prosecution’s witness.

Intermediate Court Judge Muhammed Faisal bin Pehin Datu Juragan Laila Diraja Colonel (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Haji Kefli disbelieved the defendant’s evidence and accepted the co-defendant’s testimony.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Affyian bin Abdul Rahman’s case against the defendant was that the defendant and his co-defendant went by car to the Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam Mosque in Kampong Sengkarai, Tutong on the night of October 4, 2017 to get water.

At the mosque, they stole the donation box and took it along with them to Kampong Lubok Pulau where the defendant cut the padlock with an instrument. They took the money and threw the box into a river at Kampong Lubok Pulau.

The following morning, a member of the mosque found the donation box missing and lodged a police report, leading to the defendant’s arrest.