KOTA KINABALU: A 28-year-old maintenance worker was sentenced to death by the High Court here yesterday for murder.
Judge Chew Soo Ho found Mohamad Ahmad guilty of murdering Musleh Salleh, 27, at a billiard shop in Menggatal New Township about 5.10pm on January 5, 2012.
Mohamad Ahmad was convicted under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
The court held that the defence had failed to cast a doubt on the prosecution’s case.
Deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Nazneen Zulkifli had called 15 witnesses to testify against the accused while the defence called two witnesses.
Mohamad, who was represented by counsel Hamid Ismail, was ordered by the judge to enter his defence on April 12.
Meanwhile, a local man was charged in the Sessions Court here yesterday with cutting off the fingers of his brother earlier this month.
Pangor Gampalid, 39, pleaded not guilty before judge Azreena Aziz to causing grievous hurt to the victim by using a machete at a village in Kota Belud at 11.15am on June 1.
The offence was framed under Section 326 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum 20 years’ imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
The prosecution objected to bail on the grounds that the accused and the victim are siblings and he might tamper with the prosecution’s witnesses.
The court fixed July 3 this year for case management and the undefended accused was ordered to be further held in custody pending disposal of the case.