Mother of 3 jailed two months for shoplifting

SINGAPORE: A mother of three was sentenced on Monday to two months’ jail for shoplifting.

Khatijah Awang, 40, will start her sentence on October 30, after the court granted her some time to spend Hari Raya Haji with her family.

Khatijah is currently on a bail of S$10,000.

She was charged with two counts of theft, with the prosecution proceeding with one.

On September 16 last year, Khatijah stole a wallet worth about S$30, from a shop in White Sands Shopping Centre.

Her other charge, which was taken into consideration, was stealing a pair of stockings worth $7, from another shop at the same shopping centre.

Assistant Public Prosecutor S Puvaneswari told the court that Khatijah had a previous theft conviction and was jailed eight months in 2010.

In mitigation, her defence lawyer Mr S K Kumar told the court that Khatijah had committed the offence because of her emotional weakness and fragility.

Mr Kumar also cited a medical report that Khatijah had displayed trance—like behaviour.

However, Mr Kumar noted that the condition had no psychiatric link.

Khatijah could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined.

— CNA/lp