By Khushwant Singh
THEY met while training at the Police Academy along Thomson Road in 2001. By 2004, they were a couple. Now, both are in jail.
Md Rahimin Abdullah, 28, was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail for theft, cheating and housebreaking by a district court on Wednesday. His accomplice, Nur Hamidah Abdul Hamid, also 28, was jailed two years and nine months on July 9. She left the police force in 2006. Sergeant Rahimin, who has been suspended from the force, lost his job upon his conviction.
The court heard that between January and August last year, he made purchases and withdrawals amounting to nearly $40,000 with the credit cards and ATM cards belonging to Nur Hamidah's former flat mate and family members.
Despite moving out in 2008, Nur Hamidah still had the house keys and key to the letterbox. Sometimes, she stole on her own; on two occasions she did it with Rahimin. They would then use the stolen credit cards and ATM cards here, in Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan The credit cards would be used to buy expensive items such as laptops, cell phones and computer software.
Rahimin's luck ran out on Aug 29 when he tried to buy two mobile phones using a credit card issued to Ms Jonique Ang Yam Hui. She was the sister of Nur Hamidah' s former flat mate. When sales staff demanded his identity card as verification, Rahimin tried to flee. He was detained and handed over to the police.
His lawyer Suresh Damodara said that his client was infatuated with Nur Hamidah and was used by the wily woman. However, District Judge Eddy Tham pointed out that leniency would be inappropriate, as Rahimin had brought the force into disrepute and should be punished for it.
