Man jailed 12 months for injuring wife in drunken domestic dispute

File photo of the Kuching Court Complex.

By Dorcas Ting

KUCHING, Jan 13: A 50-year-old man was sentenced to 12 months’ jail by the Magistrates’ Court here today for injuring his wife during a domestic dispute at their Bandar Baru Semariang home last week.

Magistrate Nursyaheeqa Nazwa Radzali handed down the sentence against Palli Jite, who pleaded guilty to a charge framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 326A for causing hurt to a spouse. The accused was unrepresented.

According to case facts, the incident occurred around 1.15am on Jan 8, when the accused, who was reportedly intoxicated, confronted his wife about her role and responsibilities at home.

The altercation escalated, leading him to swing a mobile phone towards her, striking the back of her head.

The victim, also aged 50, sustained minor injuries and subsequently lodged a police report. Police arrested the accused the same day at about 12.45pm.

The couple live together with their four children, one of whom witnessed the assault.

During proceedings, deputy public prosecutor Chuah Kai Sheng urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence, stating that the accused frequently behaved violently towards his spouse whenever he consumed alcohol.

Chuah also highlighted that domestic violence cases remain a concern, citing police data showing 3,768 reported cases nationwide in the first half of 2025.

The court then imposed a 12-month custodial sentence after considering the facts and circumstances of the case. — DayakDaily