Wong attends to his wife, with Yap looking on behind them.
SIBU: The husband of a robbery victim, who has yet to regain consciousness after she was attacked two years ago, is seeking legal advice on the possibility of revising the judgement passed on the accused of the case.
Taxi driver Wong Sing Poh told reporters yesterday that the incident had caused his family great suffering.
His wife Lee Sing Kiew slipped into a coma after she was robbed and attacked at 8.45pm on June 30, 2013.
Last Friday, the accused Jasmin Law Peng Yee, was sentenced to only 18 months in prison jail term for theft.
“I’m seeking advice to see if the case could be revised, and whether we could appeal against the judgement. We hope to see justice and public interest be served. Jasmin (Law) will walk out a free man in another 18 months, but we shall continue to suffer for the rest of our lives,” Wong said during a press conference here yesterday.
Law was earlier charged with voluntarily causing grievous hurt during a robbery, under Section 394 of the Penal code in the Sessions Court.
The 27-year-old was then sentenced to a 12-year imprisonment and 14 strokes of the rotan. He was also ordered to compensate RM30,000 to the victim’s family, in default of an 18-month jail term.
However when the case’s appeal went to High Court, the judgement in the lower court was set aside, resulting in the High Court ordering a retrial in the Sessions Court.
Dudong assemblyman Yap Hoi Liong, who was also present at a press conference, said under Section 172C of Criminal Procedure Code, the case was bargained between the prosecution and Law in the Sessions Court.
Yap, who is also a lawyer, said he would see if the bargain had been done in accordance with the provisions under said section.
He believed that the bargain for a lesser charge was being carried out without the knowledge of Wong and his family.
“The bargain is legally bound under Section 172C; but should there be a moral duty to inform family members (of the victim), who are suffering physically, emotionally and mentally for the rest of their lives?”
In the press conference, Wong affirmed that he had not informed of the bargain.
“I only came to know about it after the accused received the 18-month jail sentence. My colleague told me the next day when he read about it on a newspaper.”
Wong said he was very upset by the outcome, recalling how his wife was attacked after walking out of a beauty parlour in Wisma Sanyan.
“She was attacked at the car park behind that building. She slipped into coma and is now a ‘vegetable’.”
Wong said following the incident, their expenses had become heavier. Moreover he could not retire just as yet, despite his age having reached 58.
“I have to struggle on. It’s heart-wrenching to see my wife, who used to have an active social life, just lying there – possibly for the rest of her life. We have to feed and take care of her, and keep her spirits up by continually talking to her.”
Wong, however, admitted because of the dedication by ever family member, his wife’s conditions had improved slightly.
“Still, it’s a struggle. We laugh less nowadays,” he lamented.