SINGAPORE, Aug 16 — Although he had been jailed for stealing money from a mosque in Bukit Panjang, Harmudin Bahar broke into the same mosque again in April to steal more cash.
When the 62-year-old was caught red-handed by the Al-Iman mosque’s operation executive assistant, he claimed that he was facing financial difficulties and returned the S$16 (RM53.75) he had taken from the donation boxes.
Out of sympathy, the mosque employee allowed Harmudin to leave and gave him some of his own money and a ride to a community centre.
On Thursday, Harmudin, who is stateless, was sentenced to eight months’ jail after pleading guilty to one count of housebreaking.
In 2016, Harmudin was jailed after he broke into the same mosque with another man and stole S$1,945 over three weeks.
What happened
According to court documents, Harmudin decided to steal money from the donation boxes at Al-Iman Mosque on May 8.
Having stolen money from the mosque before, he knew the layout of the mosque and that it would be deserted as it was closed for the day.
At about 11.27pm, he climbed over the fence and entered the mosque.
To avoid being captured by the closed-circuit television cameras in the mosque, Harmudin removed his shirt to cover his face.
He then entered the female prayer hall and wore an abaya — a female Muslim prayer outfit — he found to disguise himself.
Using an improvised wire contraption from a clothes hanger and some adhesive tape he brought along, Harmudin stole S$16 from three donation boxes in the mosque.
Meanwhile, the mosque’s operation executive assistant had just finished his duties, which included locking all the entrances.
As he headed to perform his prayers, the staff member spotted Harmudin attempting to retrieve cash from one of the donation boxes.
The staff member confronted Harmudin who asked to be let go as he claimed he was facing financial difficulties.
Harmudin also returned the abaya and the S$16 he stole.
Sympathetic to Harmudin’s plight, the staff member let him go after taking photos of his NRIC. The staff member also gave Harmudin S$15 of his own money, and a ride to a community centre.
Court documents stated that a few days later, the staff member recounted the incident to the mosque’s administration manager who lodged a police report.
On Thursday, Harmudin pleaded for leniency and begged for a lighter sentence.
He claimed that he had borrowed money from loan sharks to pay off his fiancé’s medical bills as she has bone cancer.
“Last November, the doctor had told her that the bone cancer has no cure anymore... and that she could live for only one year,” he told the court.
“I humbly apologise... and beg you to give me the minimum sentence... (and) the chance to take care of my fiancé for the rest of her days.”
Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yang told the court that while he was sympathetic towards Harmudin’s plight, the man has had several brushes with the law and had reoffended in the same mosque.
Any person found guilty of housebreaking can be jailed for up to 10 years and fined. — TODAY
