PUTRAJAYA, Nov 16 ― A former policeman who was convicted for killing Spoon band singer Sabi'ul Malik Shafiee had his natural life imprisonment commuted to life imprisonment of 33 years under the Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act.

The Federal Court five-man bench led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat ordered the 57-year-old Mohd Ya'cob Demyati, who had been behind bars for 23 years, to serve his sentence from the date of his arrest, which was January 4, 2000.

The former police lance corporal is among 13 prisoners whose review applications were heard by the bench, which also consists of Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah and Federal Court judges Datuk Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, Datuk Nordin Hassan and Datuk Abu Bakar Jais.

Mohd Ya'cob was convicted and sentenced to death by the High Court for killing Sabi’ul, also known as Along, at the roadside of KM 28, Jalan Kuala Klawang-Genting Peras, Jelebu, Negeri Sembilan on December 26, 1999.

The singer, who was popular with his song Rindu Serindu-Rindu, was reported missing on December 25, 1999. The police later found a human skeleton tied in a sack on a hillside in Jalan Kuala Klawang on January 6, 2000.

Mohd Ya'cob then filed for clemency to the Pardons Board and his death sentence was reduced to natural life imprisonment.

Lawyer Che Muji Che Noh, representing Mohd Ya’cob, told Bernama that her client is expected to be released from prison today, taking into account the one-third remission for good behaviour.

Meanwhile, the court also commuted the natural life imprisonment and death sentence of the other prisoners to life imprisonment of between 30 to 36 years in jail.

Former debt collector G. Krishna Rao, 47, and his brother-in-law M. Rajendran, 56, had their natural life imprisonment commuted to 36 years. They were ordered to serve their sentences from March 13, 1998.

The duo were convicted and sentenced to death by the High Court for killing four people, including a 15-year-old teenager at a house in Taman Seri Dermawan, Bercham, Ipoh, Perak, between 6.30 pm on March 12, 1998 and 11.45 pm on March 13, 1998.

Their death sentences were commuted to natural life after their petition for clemency was accepted by the Pardons Board.

Another prisoner Mohd Masri Radhuan, 44, who was also convicted of murder, had his natural life imprisonment commuted to 33 years.

Meanwhile, the court commuted the death sentences of another eight inmates, including two Indian nationals, who were convicted of drug trafficking to life imprisonment of 30 years.

They are Lim Hock Boon, Cik Nazeri Mat, Law Yew Kwan@Low Yew Kwan, T. Sivakumar, Razali Ahmad, M. Saravanan Muthu, and Indian nationals Sarumati Rengasamy, (female) and Malti. Cik Nazeri, Sivakumar, Saravanan and Razali were also ordered to be given 12 strokes of the rotan each.

The prisoners, aged between 45 years and 79 years, were ordered by the court to serve the jail sentence from their respective date of arrest.

The Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act took effect on Sept 12 this year, conferring the Federal Court with discretion to review cases involving the death sentence and natural life imprisonment.

This follows the enforcement of another new law — the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023 — which came into force on July 4 this year, thus abolishing the mandatory death sentences for offences such as drug trafficking and murder.

The new law also gives the judges the choice to impose either the death penalty or imprisonment for a period of not less than 30 years, but not exceeding 40 years, and if not sentenced to death, shall also be punished with whipping of not less than 12 strokes for male convicts below the age of 50.

Attorney General’s Chambers (Appellate and Trial Division) head Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar and deputy head Datuk Yusaini Amer Abdul Karim, deputy public prosecutors Nahra Dollah and Parvin Hameedah Natchiar appeared for the prosecution. ― Bernama