Indonesian jailed, whipped for causing compatriot’s death

SIBU: The High Court here today sentenced an Indonesian man to 30 years’ jail and 12 strokes of whipping for causing the death of his compatriot.

Justice Wong Siong Tung convicted Muh Sakkar Arakee, 36, of killing Hapil Jamal at a shipyard workers’ living quarters in Shipbuilding Industrial Zone, Tanjung Manis New township of Sarikei District on Oct 12, 2022 at around 10.30 pm.

In his judgement, Wong stated that after having considered the totality of evidence by the testimonies of all witnesses called by the prosecution as well as the testimony of the accused in the trial, he found no reasonable doubt regarding the guilt of the accused for the offence.

The court, he said, was not inclined to impose a death penalty in the circumstances of the case.

The accused, he pointed out, was of Indonesian national, and the court was also concerned in the public interest the nation should not be burdened to feed the accused for imprisonment longer than necessary.

“Having considered the submissions of the learned DPP and the learned counsel for the accused, taking into the account the gravity to the offence committed by the accused, the necessity for deterrent sentence in the interest of the public, the facts of the case and the mitigating facts, the accused is hereby sentenced to 30 years’ jail with 12 strokes of whipping. The imprisonment sentence shall commence from the date of his arrest on Oct 12, 2022,” Wong added.

A total of 13 prosecution witnesses were brought to testify in the trial by DPP Mark Kenneth Netto against the accused who was represented by Ranbir Singh.