SINGAPORE - Actor-singer Mohamad Aliff Aziz is facing a possible jail term after being found to be unsuitable for a mandatory treatment order (MTO).
Offenders given an MTO have to undergo treatment to address their mental conditions in lieu of imprisonment. It was not mentioned in court on Monday (Sept 14) why an MTO was not recommended for him.
The 29-year-old Singaporean pleaded guilty last month to one count of theft and an unrelated charge of behaving in a disorderly manner in public.
This was not his first brush with the law.
In 2014, he was fined $2,000 for stealing two mobile phones.
In the current case, the court heard that Aliff met Indonesian actress Raja Yunika Perdhana Putri, 32, in her room at the Studio M hotel near Havelock Road at around midnight on June 7 last year.
He was there to discuss how she could help further his singing career in Indonesia.
At around 1am, Ms Raja Yunika went to the second storey of her room to rest, leaving her handbag near Aliff.
Before leaving the room, he opened the handbag to steal $300 and one million rupiah (S$94) in cash.
She woke up about two hours later and phoned Aliff after noticing that her money was missing. He denied stealing the cash and she lodged a police report later that day.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Sarah Siaw had said that Aliff later admitted that he had stolen the cash as "he was in need of money".
He then used the cash for food and transport. He has since made full restitution.
In an unrelated case, Aliff was found to be intoxicated under the link bridge of Orchard Towers shopping centre at around 5.30am on Nov 10 last year.
A police officer who was in the vicinity saw that he was shouting loudly and gesticulating at someone.
Sergeant Theodore Lee, 24, told Aliff to calm down and the artiste complied before walking away, only to commit similar acts about an hour later.
This time, Aliff also walked towards a nearby taxi and kicked its bumper. No damage was caused.
He was arrested after he got into a scuffle with an acquaintance, the court heard.
Aliff rose to fame in 2007 after winning Malay channel Suria's version of Singapore Idol, called Anugerah. He was in the spotlight last year for his divorce from Malaysian singer Bella Astillah and purported romantic scandals in Malaysia.
The couple, who wed in 2016 and split up in May last year, have reportedly reconciled.
Aliff will be sentenced on Tuesday.
Offenders convicted of theft can be jailed for up to seven years and fined.
First-time offenders convicted of behaving in a disorderly manner in public can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $2,000. Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $5,000.
