PUTRAJAYA, Feb 16 — The Court of Appeal today upheld the nine-year prison sentence and four strokes of the cane meted out on a former factory worker who pleaded guilty to three counts of robbery and theft at three convenience stores in Johor Bahru two years ago.
A panel of three judges led by Datuk Hanipah Farikullah unanimously dismissed the appeal by Ahmad Sadeli Mohd Ali, 32, for his sentence to be reduced.
“After examining the facts of this case, we find that a three-year prison sentence for each charge is not heavy.
“Therefore, the decision made by the High Court Judge regarding the prison sentence is correct, and the whipping sentence is upheld. As such, the appeal is dismissed, “ said Hanipah, who sat with Judges Datuk Wira Ahmad Nasfy Yasin and Datuk Lim Chong Fong.
On the first and second count, Ahmad Sadeli was charged with robbing RM747, a mobile phone and two boxes of Dunhill Red Classic cigarettes while armed with a knife at two convenience stores in Taman Tiram Baru, Ulu Tiram and Taman Mesra, Seleng in Johor Bahru, at 10.30am and 11.05am on December 19, 2021.
He was also charged with stealing RM150 and a mobile phone belonging to a woman at a convenience store in Taman Nusantara, Gelang Patah, Johor Bahru at 3.30 am on December 4, 2021.
The charges, framed under Section 392 of the Penal Code and read together with Section 397 of the Penal Code, provide a maximum prison term of 14 years and is liable to fine or whipping, if found guilty.
On December 28, 2021, the Johor Bahru Sessions Court sentenced him to three years in prison and given two strokes of the cane for robbery, as well as three years in prison for theft. He was ordered to serve the jail sentences consecutively.
He appealed and on June 27, 2022, the Johor Bahru High Court upheld the sentences.
In today’s proceedings, the prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Wong Poi Yoke, while lawyer Bustaman Menon Abdul Hamid represented Ahmad Sadeli.
— Bernama
