KUCHING: The Sessions Court here today set August 4 for the social report to be read on a 19-year-old youth who pleaded guilty to attempting to extort RM18,000 from her own mother using a fake kidnapping scenario.
Sessions Court Judge Iris Awen Jon made the order during proceedings, with the case fixed for mention and submission of the report before sentencing is decided.
The accused pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 387 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and is also liable to whipping upon conviction.
According to the charge, the offence took place at about 3:20 pm on June 18 at a house in Taman Perniagaan Setia, Johor Bahru, where the accused allegedly put her biological mother in fear of death unless RM18,000 was paid as ransom.
It was understood that the accused is believed to have fabricated a kidnapping scenario by sending WhatsApp messages using a male profile, claiming she had been abducted and demanding ransom from her mother, who subsequently lodged a police report.
Investigations later revealed that the alleged kidnapping was staged by the accused herself.
During mitigation, the unemployed first-time offender pleaded for a non-custodial sentence, telling the court she had committed the act because she needed money to buy something for her mother.
The judge, however, questioned her actions and reminded her of her mother’s sacrifices in raising her.
Deputy Public Prosecutor, Adriana Maisarah Mohd Farid, applied for a social report to be prepared, describing the accused as a youthful offender and also requested that no bail be granted.
The accused, who was unrepresented, was remanded pending the next mention for the case.
The case is being investigated by Inspector Awang Iswandi Awang Mahmuddin.
