KUCHING: A female cook was charged in the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday for allegedly reaching into a woman’s handbag and taking her iPhone 14 Pro Max during the Kuching Food Festival 2023 earlier this August.
Marani Rais, 50, pleaded not guilty to a charge under Section 379 of the Penal Code, read before Magistrate Mason Jaro Lenya Barayan.
According to the charge, she committed the offense during the MBKS Kuching Food Festival 2023, at approximately 9.10 pm on August 2.
If found guilty, she could face imprisonment for up to seven years, a fine, or both.
However, Mason Jaro allowed the accused to be released on bail of RM1,500 with a local surety.
The court scheduled a date for the case management hearing on September 18.
It is understood that the 42-year-old complainant realised her smartphone, which was kept in her handbag, was stolen while attending the festival.
She promptly reported the incident to the nearby police station for further action.
Subsequently, the accused was apprehended on the same day of the incident, and during the examination, the stolen smartphone was found in her possession.
The prosecution was handled by Inspector Merylene Lindan Andrew Mang, while the accused was not represented by a lawyer.
