KUCHING, Nov 7 — The High Court here yesterday sentenced a farmer to 30 years in jail for murdering his friend with a handmade shotgun two years ago.

Judicial Commissioner Alexander Siew How Wai convicted Nuli Natau, 57, on his own guilty plea to a charge framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

The Section carries the death penalty or a jail term of between 30 and 40 years, and if not sentenced to death, caning of not less than 12 strokes.

Siew also ordered for Nuli’s sentence to take effect from the date of his arrest.

Nuli shot his friend at an unnumbered house in a paddy field in Kampung Sungai Pedada, Maludam, Sri Aman around 3.30am on Jan 2, 2021.

Based on the facts of the case, on January 1, 2021, at around 6.30am, Nuli went to the unnumbered house and drank langkau together with his cousin and the victim until midnight.

At some point the victim suddenly got hold of Nuli’s legs and dragged him to the main door of the house.

When Nuli asked the victim why he did that, the victim answered, "I tariklah” (I’m just pulling).

This angered Nuli, prompting him to walk back to his own house, located 2.4km from the unnumbered house, and return with the shotgun to fatally fire at the victim.

The victim’s stepdaughter witnessed the shooting and called the Malaysian Emergency Response Services 999 (MERS 999) saying the victim was on the floor motionless.

Police arrested Nuli on the same day (January 2, 2021) at around 12pm and seized the handmade shotgun used to shoot the victim at around 3.30am.

DPP Yong Suk Hui prosecuted the case, while Nuli was represented by counsels Simon Siah and Moh Ung Kieng. — Borneo Post Online