JOHOR BARU. Malaysia - A pregnant woman pleaded not guilty in a magistrate's court here to embezzling RM12,217 (S$4,980) from the law firm she worked for.

Aida Hanim Othman, 33, an executive accountant at Tetuan Kamal Hisham & Associates in Wisman Ibzi in Taman Sri Setia, here, was charged under Section 408 of the Penal Code for committing the offence on six different occasions over two years.

Aida Hanim, who was represented by lawyer Ardelliza Izmaryanti, was said to have committed the offences from Dec 19, 2007, to Feb 11, 2008, with amounts ranging from RM500 to RM8,500.

If convicted, she can be jailed up to 14 years, whipped and fined for each charge.

Prosecuting officer C/Insp Adnan Mohamad suggested bail at RM10,000 for all the charges.

Ardelliza, however, urged the court to set a lower bail, noting that her client was five months' pregnant and had been co-operative during investigations.

Magistrate Fuad Abd Ghani fixed bail at RM6,000 and set Oct 26 for hearing.

At the same court, a 31-year-old man was sentenced to 12 months' jail for robbing his aunt of cash amounting to RM475 and a mobile phone.

Mohd Riduwan pleaded guilty to the offence, committed at his house in Stulang Baru on Oct 8 last year.

According to the statement of the facts, the victim Faridah Bibi Mohamed Kassim, a Singaporean, had gone to Mohd Riduwan's house for Hari Raya but was chased away by her nephew who was angry.

As she was leaving, Mohd Riduwan punched her in the face and grabbed her bag containing S$161 and RM50 in cash and a Sony K6601 mobile phone.

Mohd Riduwan then contacted his aunt at 1pm the same day, saying that he wanted to return her belongings and proposed that they meet at a petrol kiosk at Gelang Patah.

However, upon seeing his aunt together with some police officers, he fled after leaving the bag at the kiosk. He was caught later.

Upon inspection, the items stated were missing from the bag.