SIBU: A 44-year-old businessman charged with the murder of his wife and two children at their house in Pulau Li Hua on July 5 last year went on trial yesterday at the High Court here.
Jacob Tiang being led out of court after the hearing yesterday.
Senior Federal Counsel Yaacub Chik told the court that Jacob Tiang Lee Yee was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code with causing the death of his wife Ling Yung Ming, daughter Christine Tiang Soon Ai and son Victor Tiang Soon Sheng between 6.20am and 9.50am.
He said the accused was also charged with an offence under Section 307 of the Penal Code for attempting to cause death to his other son Vincent Tiang Soon Thai at the same place, time and day.
The accused was also charged under Section 309 of the Penal Code for an attempted suicide at the same place, time and day.
Yaacub pointed out that the prosecution would rely on direct, scientific, medical and circumstantial evidence to prove the case against the accused person.
“From the totality of the evidence that shall be adduced, it shall be proven beyond reasonable doubt that the accused had intentionally caused the death, attempted to cause death and attempted to commit suicide,” he stated.
Earlier, Yaacub told the court that the accused had been sent to Hospital Sentosa for psychiatric analysis and in the opinion of Dr Lau King Ka as the hospital’s senior psychiatric consultant specialist, the accused knew what he was doing and that he knew what he was doing was right or wrong.
The first prosecution witness to testify was Sergeant Backer Gundi, 52, who is exhibit storekeeper at Sibu Police Headquarters.
In examination-in-chief by Yaacub, Backer said he did receive exhibits of the case from a police officer, ASP Chung Syan, at about 8.30pm on July 5 last year.
He said the exhibits he received in envelopes were in good condition and had been kept in a locked store.
A total of 38 prosecution witnesses are expected to testify against the accused, who is represented by assigned counsel Ben Lau.
Yaacub together with DPP Mohd Azrul Faidz are appearing for the prosecution.
The three murder charges filed under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
The attempted murder charge filed under Section 307 of the Penal Code provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years, in this case 20 years for causing hurt to Vincent while trying to kill him.
The attempted suicide framed under Section 309 of the Penal Code provides for a jail term of up to a year or with fine, or both.
According to press reports, Tiang allegedly committed the offences in his house at Pulau Li Hua on July 5.
His eldest son Vincent survived as he escaped and sought help at a neighbour’s house.
Tiang then fled in a family car to Bintulu where he was arrested in the evening of the same day during which police found a bottle of weed killer and a water hose in the car.
The oil palm site-clearing contractor was said to have taken the family out for a lavish dinner the night before the alleged murder.
After dinner, he was said to have huddled family members to a room and gave each of them some sleeping pills.
Tiang is believed to be in debt of RM3.5 million.