Restaurant supervisor Jamil Ahmad Mohd Adam, 40, and accountant Shamsuden Rahman Khan, 53, who is an Indian national, were charged with making the false report on Dec 9.

They had told police that the money was taken by two masked men when in reality, it was in a Perodua Kancil car nearby.

Jamil pleaded not guilty to the charge while Shamsuden pleaded guilty.

Both men were charged under Section 182 of the Penal Code for providing a false statement, which carries a six-month jail term or RM2,000 fine upon conviction.

They entered their plea before separate magistrates.

Magistrate Umma Devi Loganathan allowed Jamil bail of RM8,000 with one surety and set Jan 18 for case management.

Shamsuden was handed a RM2,000 fine and one-month jail term from Dec 9 by magistrate Rosnee Mohd Radzuan.

Jamil’s lawyer Ahilan Natarajah had asked for a lower bail amount, saying his client was the family’s sole breadwinner and earned RM1,800 a month.

Shamsuden, meanwhile, after pleading guilty, told the court he did not want a prison sentence. He also asked the court to consider a low fine as he earned RM2,000 a month.

Shamsuden, who was unrepresented, also said he had to support his family in India.

Deputy public prosecutors Noor Azura Zulkiflee and Preeya Darrsini Sugumaran prosecuted.

In the Dec 9 incident, police reported that two restaurant workers claimed to have been waylaid by two men when they were about to transfer a three-day collection from a nasi kandar restaurant in Bukit Jambul to a bank nearby.

Hours later, they told police that they had made the story up.