MELAKA, Oct 9 — The Melaka High Court sentenced a jobless man to 15 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of killing his friend in Pulau Sebang, Alor Gajah, six years ago.
Judge Datuk D. Suria Kumar sentenced AS Sitambarasan, 34, from the date of his arrest on Sept 23, 2020, after taking into account the public interest, including the manner of the killing and the disposal of the body.
In delivering his judgment, the judge urged the accused to repent and not repeat the offence, noting that his actions have also burdened his family.
“I hope you use your time in prison to reflect on your actions. This should not have happened. You could have been with your mother, who is suffering from cancer and needs your care. Your wife has also been involved in an accident and fractured her leg. You should be by her side, helping her,” he said.
The court heard that Sitambarasan and two others were accused of murdering Sua Chun Chai, 31, an unemployed man, in front of a workshop in the Kuala Ina small and medium industries (SMI) area in Pulau Sebang between Sept 14 and 17, 2020.
The case was uncovered at about 8.09am on Sept 17, 2020, when firefighters from the Alor Gajah station in Melaka and the Tampin station in Negeri Sembilan found a black bag containing a body inside a Honda Civic Ferio they were attending to after it caught fire.
He was charged under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, which provides for a prison term of up to 30 years and a possible fine.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Firdaus Saleh prosecuted the case, while lawyer Andrew Lourdes represented the accused. — Bernama
