Magistrate Nik Mohd Fadli Nik Azlan passed the sentence on Daniel Iskandar, 19, after the accused pleaded guilty.

The court ordered the jail sentence to commence from Jan 9, and if the accused failed to pay the fine, he could be jailed for five months.

Before the sentence was meted, the magistrate reprimanded Daniel for stealing the funds from the Al-Islahiah Mosque in Kuang, Rawang, at midnight on Jan 8.

“What’s wrong with you? People’s money is allocated for the community and the construction of mosques. You stole it and put it in the mortuary. I hope you learn from this,” he said.

Daniel was charged under Sections 380 and 511 of the Penal Code which provides for a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine.

According to the facts of the case, Daniel stole the money belonging to the mosque and hid it in the mortuary bathroom.

When he was caught, mosque officials apparently bathed him like a corpse, and recorded the incident on video, which was circulated on social media.

Earlier, defence counsel Azman Abdullah asked the court to impose a lenient sentence.

“The accused’s parents have been divorced since he was eight years old. He lives with his grandfather who is in his 70s and they are poor. Their food is from the alms of the neighbours,” he said.

He said that although the accused had pleaded guilty, the act of spreading the video on social media was not appropriate as it had caused him to suffer from depression.