A former cashier who claimed she was manipulated by her ex-boyfriend was sentenced to two years in prison for CBT and money laundering involving RM568,200.
KUALA LUMPUR: A former supermarket cashier who claimed she had been manipulated by her former boyfriend was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by the Sessions Court here today after pleading guilty to 14 charges of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and money laundering involving RM568,200.
Judge Norma Ismail imposed a two-year jail term for each charge faced by Nur Atiqah Asyirah Muhamad Fauzi, 29, and ordered the sentences to run concurrently from today.
In mitigation, lawyer Arik Zakri Abdul Kadir, who represented Nur Atiqah, said his client had been manipulated by her former boyfriend into supporting his lifestyle, enabling him to own a vehicle.
“Throughout her eight years of service, the accused was a dedicated and disciplined employee who had received awards. This incident has been a lesson to her and she has repented and will not repeat the offence.
“I appeal for a lenient sentence on the grounds that she cares for her mother, who suffered a stroke, and that she gave full cooperation throughout the investigation. This is also her first offence,” the lawyer said.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Batrisyia Mohd Khusri sought an appropriate sentence, taking into account that the accused was a senior cashier entrusted with the terminal machine and that her actions were planned and had caused losses to the company.
“She used her knowledge and skills to commit criminal breach of trust, and a ‘romance scam’ cannot be taken into consideration and is not an excuse for the accused to commit the offences,” said Batrisyia, who handled the case together with DPPs Megat Mahathir Megat Tharih Affendi and Nurliyana R. Azmi.
Under two CBT charges, Nur Atiqah, who had been entrusted with the supermarket’s PIN terminal machine, misused the machine by generating Touch ‘n Go eWallet PIN values amounting to RM98,800 and redeeming them into her own Touch ‘n Go eWallet account between Jan 7, 2023 and July 9, 2024.
The charges were framed under Section 408 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of not less than one year and up to 14 years, as well as whipping and a fine, upon conviction.
The woman was also charged with 12 counts of transferring proceeds from unlawful activities amounting to RM469,400 into the Touch ‘n Go eWallet accounts of herself, her siblings and her friends through the redemption of Touch ‘n Go PIN values between January 2023 and August 2024 at the same supermarket in Kepong.
The offences came under Section 4(1)(b) of the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds of Unlawful Activities Act 2001, punishable under subsection 4(1) of the same Act.
Upon conviction, the offence carries a maximum jail term of 15 years and a fine of not less than five times the amount or value of the proceeds of unlawful activity or instrumentalities of the offence at the time it was committed, or RM5 million, whichever is higher.
According to the facts of the case, the wrongdoing came to light after the supermarket manager suspected that Nur Atiqah had taken an e-pay terminal device without authorisation.
A review of e-pay records later revealed that the accused had used the terminal device to top up Touch ‘n Go eWallet accounts for personal use from August 2022 to July 2024.
