Rehired, but she reoffends

Rehired, but she reoffends

After she was sacked for taking company money, she pleaded to her ex-boss for a second chance and he agreed to rehire her.

But Norlinah Jafar, 36, who used to work as a front office receptionist in the Dragon Court Hotel at Mosque Street in Chinatown, between April 1 and Oct 9 this year, was unrepentant.

She reported for work at 7pm on Oct 17 after meeting its general manager, Mr Lee Bee Hock, 60, earlier that day.

While alone on the job less than 12 hours later, she helped herself to cash amounting to $936 from a drawer at the front office reception and fled.

Norlinah was yesterday jailed for three years and two weeks after pleading guilty to one count each of criminal breach of trust, robbery and using criminal force on another woman.

Two other charges - for theft and for assaulting a woman while in a lock-up at the Police Cantonment Complex - were taken into consideration during sentencing.

CRIME SPREE

Her crime spree started on Oct 7, when she forcefully held a prostitute down while another woman, identified as Noorizan Senin, 33, cut their victim's hair with a pair of scissors.

The prostitute, Ms Mariam Marissa Sabarudin, 20, had approached Norlinah and her two friends at Lorong 10 Geylang that day.

She asked for their help to retrieve her belongings from her rental unit on the same road, claiming that her co-tenants had assaulted her.

Norlinah's group agreed to accompany her but when they reached the unit, they found out from Noorizan, who opened the door, that Ms Mariam owed her roommates rent money.

Norlinah and her two friends quickly switched sides. They ganged up with Noorizan against the prostitute, who informed the police after the attack.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Andrew Low told the court yesterday that Noorizan has not been dealt with in court.

Just 11 days after the assault, Norlinah reoffended and made off with cash belonging to Dragon Court Hotel.

Soon afterwards, she hatched a plan to steal sales proceeds from another former workplace, the New Happy Hotel at Lorong 10 Geylang, and went there at around 2am on Oct 22 to commit the crime.

Norlinah, who used to work as a receptionist there, realised that her ex-colleague, Ms Fatimah Mohamed Hussain, 37, was on duty at the front desk that morning. She told the latter to go to the toilet so she could help herself to the money in a front desk counter drawer.

When Ms Fatimah refused, Norlinah showed her a pair of scissors and threatened to harm her with it if she did not comply.

Norlinah dragged her by the arm into a nearby toilet and ordered her to remain inside. She then made off with $660.

Ms Fatimah later crept out and informed the police about her ordeal at around 2.40am.

For robbery, Norlinah could have been jailed between three and 14 years.


This article was first published on December 20, 2014.
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