Woman who embezzled over $37,000 from Darul Aman Mosque jailed
SINGAPORE — A corporate service officer who embezzled more than $37,000 from a mosque she worked at was jailed nine months on Wednesday (8 January).
Between 2017 and last year, Darul Aman Mosque employee Marlina Abdul Rahman siphoned donations, fees for its facilities and payments for religious classes. The 36-year-old spent the money on herself and her family.
She pleaded guilty to one out of three counts of committing criminal breach of trust as a servant with the remaining two taken into consideration for sentencing.
According to court documents, Marlina was employed by the mosque from 31 January 2017 to August last year. She was entrusted to collect payments on behalf of the mosque, which included donations from the public, and fees for the facilities of the mosque.
In August last year, the mosque’s corporate and estate manager discovered a $4,800 shortfall from the funds collected around the Hari Raya Haji period.
After checking the receipts and the mosque’s accounting system, the estate manager realised that about 219 manual receipts had been issued by Marlina and that 155 of them were not registered in the system.
Of the 64 manual receipts that were registered in the system, nine showed amounts lower than what was actually received.
In total, Marlina misappropriated $37,877.50. She has since made $4,800 in restitution.
Representing herself in court, Marlina asked for leniency and said she had only recently discovered she was pregnant.
For committing criminal breach of trust as a servant, Marlina could have been jailed up to 15 years and fined.
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