KUALA LUMPUR: A single mother was sentenced to 20 months in jail for possessing and using counterfeit money to pay for her parking ticket four months ago.
Judge Hasbullah Adam meted out the sentence against Roshidah Sultan Mohideen after she pleaded guilty to all charges at the sessions court here today.
Hasbullah, however, ordered Roshidah’s jail sentences to run concurrently from the date of her arrest on May 23.
Roshidah was charged with making a payment using a fake RM100 note at the Mercu Summer Suites parking lot at about 4.50pm on May 23.
The mother-of-two was also alleged to have had 26 RM100 counterfeit notes in her possession at Jalan Selingsing 4, at about 7.30pm on the same date.
Both offences fall under Section 489B of the Penal Code, and Section 489C of the same Code for using and possessing counterfeit notes.
Roshidah, clad in a white shirt and jeans, could not hold back her tears as she pleaded for a lenient sentence.
“I am the sole breadwinner of my family, as my husband left us seven years ago.
“One of my daughters suffers from Down syndrome and was placed under the Social Welfare Department’s custody,” she said in between sobs.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Norazlin Mohd Yusoff asked for a deterrent punishment to be handed down to the accused.
“This is a serious offence, wherein the accused was eligible for 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine, upon conviction,” she said.