Sentence for couple who stole MH370 victim’s money upheld

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today described a couple’s action of stealing money totalling RM85,180 belonging to two MH370 victims as disgusting, revolting and inhumane.

Judicial Commissioner Mohamad Shariff Abu Samah said the offence committed by the duo was carefully organised and had left the MH370 victims’ families stigmatised because money was missing from their accounts.

“Their actions have also led to society losing trust in the banking institution involved,” he said, adding that the offence was serious as it was an act of dishonesty.

He, therefore, dismissed the appeal made by Basheer Ahmad Maula Sahul Hameed and his wife Nur Shila Kanan to set aside their conviction and prison sentence of 11 years and 28 years respectively, for stealing the RM85,180 as imposed by the Sessions Court earlier.

Basheer Ahmad Maula was sentenced to two years in prison on the first and second charge; three years on the third charge; and four years on the fourth charge, with one stroke for each charge.

The High Court had today increased the sentence for the fourth count to six years and two strokes and a fine of RM8,000, in default eight months in jail.

“For the other charges, the court has upheld the earlier sentences,” said Mohamad Shariff, who ordered that the sentences run simultaneously. As such the accused would only serve six years in prison.

Meanwhile, his wife, who faced 12 counts of theft was sentenced to between 10 months and six years for each count, which amounted to 28 years and four months, by the Sessions Court.

However, she was only required to serve six years in prison after the Sessions Court judge ordered that the sentences run simultaneously beginning on May 21, 2015.

In today’s proceedings, the High Court ordered the sentence for the 12th charge to be increased from six years to seven years.

Basheer Ahmad Maula pleaded guilty to four counts of stealing money belonging to the flight MH370 tragedy’s victim, Chinese national Tian Jun Wei, at the HSBC Amanah ATM in Ampang Point between 10.02am on May 15, 2014 and 11.28pm on June 29, 2014.

Nur Shila, a former HSBC bank officer, also pleaded guilty on 12 counts, including six counts of cheating her supervisors, Nor Aini Derus@Mat Rose and Mohd Fazli Mokhtar, by using fake documents to apply for new debit cards for Tian and another Chinese national, Judy Margaret Lai.

She committed the offences at HSBC Amanah ATM Ampang Point here between 10.02am on May 15, 2014 and 11.28pm June 29, 2014.

– BERNAMA