Kota Kinabalu: A 28-year-old retired soldier who used fake notes amounting to RM1,000 to buy an i-Phone, was jailed five years and fined RM1,000 or a month’s jail.
Mohd Aidil Asrraf Muhammad pleaded guilty before Sessions Court Judge Amir Shah Amir Hassan.
Aidil had used eight pieces of RM100 notes and four pieces of RM50 notes which were fake at 8pm on Aug 7 this year at Kedai Gammerlite Sdn Bhd in Luyang.
The offence under Section 489B of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to 20 years, and liable to a fine, on conviction.
In meting out the sentence, the court said it was a serious offence as it was not only the victim who faced losses but also the market.
He said that a sentence must be in the form of a warning and reminder to the public not to make the same mistake.
The court added that luckily in this case, after the complainant lodged a police report, the fake notes had been recovered.
During mitigation, Aidil asked for leniency, saying that he has two small children and family in Negeri Sembilan, to look after.
He said he regretted his wrongdoing.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Shafeerah Mad Iskim urged the court to impose a heavier sentence as the complainant had suffered loss and that it was a serious offence.
The court heard that Aidil went to the shop to meet the complainant as he wanted to buy an i-phone worth RM1,000 which was advertised by the complainant.
After the complainant gave the i-Phone to Aidil, he (Aidil) gave eight notes RM100 and four notes RM50 in which he knew were fake.
The complainant then realised that it was fake notes and Bank Negara confirmed it.
