Kuching man who slashed ex-wife with knife during heated argument jailed seven years

KUCHING (Feb 23): The Sessions Court here on Monday sentenced a 53-year-old man to seven years’ jail for hurting his ex-wife with a knife following a heated late-night argument.

Judge Musli Ab Hamid convicted Morni Utek on his own guilty plea to a charge under Section 324 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 326A of the same Code for hurting his former spouse using a weapon.

Section 324 carries a jail term of up to 10 years, or a fine, or caning, or any of the two punishments, upon conviction; while Section 326A provides for an imprisonment term of up to twice the maximum term for which the offender would have been liable on conviction under the relevant section, notwithstanding any other punishment provided for that offence.

The offence was committed at a flat unit on Jalan Setia Raja here at 12.25am on Feb 17.

According to the facts of the case, Morni’s daughter arrived at the unit to find her mother had sustained injuries to her arm resulting from an altercation with him.

She then lodged a police report, which led to Morni’s arrest.

Investigations revealed that Morni had voluntarily caused harm to the victim using a kitchen knife.

A medical report later confirmed that the victim sustained incisional wounds on her right hypochondriac region and right lateral elbow.

Deputy public prosecutor Asmawi Nur Haqim Mokhtar appeared for the prosecution, while Morni did not have legal representation.