Duo get nine years for robbing cafe

Two accomplices who robbed a cafe of RM160 in cash and several mobile phones have been sentenced to nine years in prison and seven strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here on Tuesday (Jan 23).

Judge Iris Awen Jon made the decision after Mohamad Zaidel Sidi, 40, and Khairul Amirin Mahmud, 24, pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 395 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 397 of the same Code.

If convicted, these sections provide for a maximum prison term of 20 years and may also include a fine or caning.

According to the charge, they jointly committed an armed robbery with a machete against the shopkeeper, who is an Indonesian citizen, by taking three mobile phones and RM160 in cash.

The offence occurred in a cafe at a supermarket in Jalan Stephen Yong at around 3am, Jan 8.

During the incident, the complainant, who is the store manager, was informed by an employee that two men had robbed three mobile phones and cash amounting to RM160.

Mohamad Zaidel (first accused) brandished a machete at the employee before taking the stolen items and fleeing in a red Perodua Myvi vehicle.A police report was subsequently filed by the co

mplainant, leading to the arrest of the first accused (Zaidel) on the same day, while Khairul was arrested on Jan 11.

Mohamad Zaidel had previously been sentenced to five years in prison and one stroke of the cane for an offence under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and could be punished under Section 39C(1)(b) of the same Act for repeated drug abuse.

The prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Ruvinasini Pandian, while the first accused was not represented by a lawyer, and the second accused was represented by lawyer Ralph Lee Zhen Jie.