By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Jul 10: A vault custodian was sentenced to one year and eight months’ imprisonment and one stroke of the cane by the Sessions Court after pleading guilty to criminal breach of trust involving RM47,300 kept in his employer’s vault.
The 44-year-old admitted to the charge under Section 408 of the Penal Code before Judge Iris Awen Jon.
During mitigation, the accused, who was not represented by counsel, pleaded for a lighter sentence, telling the court that he took the money to provide for his third child, who is a person with disabilities (OKU), and to repay debts owed to illegal moneylenders. He also said he had a wife and children who depended on him for support.
The court heard that the accused had been entrusted with the security and management of the company’s vault at Jalan Tun Ahmad Zaidi Adruce when he dishonestly removed RM47,300 in RM100 banknotes belonging to a security and cash management services provider on March 18, 2025.
According to the facts of the case, the missing cash was discovered at about 11am on May 24, 2025, after the company carried out a recount of the money stored in the vault. A company representative subsequently lodged a police report over the loss.
Police investigations later established that the accused had taken the cash after he admitted to the offence, with closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage corroborating his confession.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Chuah Kai Sheng prosecuted the case.
Section 408 of the Penal Code carries a punishment of between one and 14 years’ imprisonment, whipping, and a possible fine upon conviction. — DayakDaily
