Couple admit to illicit sex acts in mosque mortuary, judge says: ‘Lucky you didn’t end up as corpses’
A former mosque caretaker and a cleaner in Malaysia were fined RM5,000 (S$1,500) each after admitting to having illicit sex in a mosque mortuary room.
The pair had reportedly engaged in sexual acts multiple times at the mortuary room of Masjid Al-Ibadah in Kampung Bukit Piatu, Malacca, between January and April 2026, reported Malaysian newspaper Harian Metro.
Former mosque caretaker Mohd Rafi Abu Samah, 48, and cleaner Norhaslinda Hashim, 51, pleaded guilty to their respective charges at the Melaka Syariah High Court.
According to The Star, Mohd Rafi is a widower with four children, while Norhaslinda is married and has eight children.
The charge stated that the pair attempted to have illicit sexual intercourse despite not being legally married to each other under Islamic law.
The offence took place between 8am and noon on an unspecified date in April.
Although the court heard that the acts had allegedly occurred repeatedly, only one charge was brought against each of them based on the available evidence, The Star reported.
‘Lucky you didn’t end up as corpses’
The location of their encounters drew a particularly grim rebuke from Melaka Syariah High Court judge Mawardi Che Man.
“You are lucky you did not end up as corpses while committing the act. Otherwise, you could have been washed there straight away,” he said, before passing sentence on Aug 13.
The judge stressed that while the mortuary room was separate from the main prayer hall, it was still part of sacred mosque grounds and was used to prepare the dead for burial.
“This is where the deceased undergo their final cleansing before burial. Instead, a grave sin was committed there,” he said.
Harian Metro reported that the judge also took issue with the pair’s roles at the mosque.
Mohd Rafi, who was formerly a siak or mosque caretaker, had been entrusted with helping to prepare bodies for burial, while Norhaslinda helped with cleaning work at the mosque as a volunteer under the Melaka Islamic Religious Council.
The judge said their actions not only breached Islamic law but also betrayed the trust placed in people responsible for maintaining the sanctity of a place of worship.
Case emerged from rape report
The case initially came to the authorities’ attention following a police report involving an allegation of rape.
According to The Star, police handed the pair over to the Melaka Islamic Religious Department’s enforcement division at about 4.30pm on June 4.
Subsequent police investigations found that the sexual acts were consensual and had occurred repeatedly.
Melaka Chief Syarie Prosecutor Wan Mahyuddin Wan Muhammad and Syarie prosecutor Radzwan Abdullah sought a deterrent sentence, citing the seriousness of the offence, where it took place and the pair’s positions as mosque personnel.
Harian Metro reported that the defence asked the court not to impose jail terms.
The court ultimately fined each of them RM5,000. They will have to serve 18 months in jail if they fail to pay the fine.
They were charged under Section 52 of the Syariah Offences Enactment (State of Melaka) 1991, which carries a maximum fine of RM5,000, up to three years’ jail, or both.
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