A man has been sentenced to jail for stealing MVR 8,150 from his wife’s Bank of Maldives account without her knowledge.

Mohamed Moosa, Lunboamaage, Thimarafushi, was sentenced by the Thaa atoll Thimarafushi Magistrate Court after pleading guilty to taking the money from his wife, Fathimath Mizna, Kashikeyomaage, Thimarafushi.

Moosa told the court that he had taken the money without being forced to do so.

In mitigation, he said he was caring for his sick mother and their child while his wife was at work. He asked the court to impose a fine instead of a jail term, arguing that his family would face difficulties if he were imprisoned.

However, the court ruled that Moosa did not qualify for a fine in place of imprisonment under the Supreme Court’s sentencing guidelines because he was not engaged in sustainable income generating work.

The case was filed in July.

On Sunday, the court sentenced Moosa to seven months and three days in prison after reducing his sentence to account for time already spent in custody.