The trio being escorted by the police to the temporary cell after the sentencing.
KUCHING: Three friends were yesterday sentenced to a total of 36 years’ jail and 10 strokes of the rotan each for causing grievous hurt to two students last year.
Sessions Court Judge Amelati Parnell found the trio – Ramshah Ramlan, 24, from Kampung Tabuan Melayu, Mohd Sukmarulnizam Ademan, 24, from Taman Tabuan and Mohamad Fadilah Ramli, 35, also from Kampung Tabuan Melayu – guilty as charged after she ruled that they had failed to cast any reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case against them.
Ramshah’s jail term will take effect from Nov 11, while those of the second and third accused will take effect from July 30 and Aug 4 last year, respectively, the dates they were arrested following a warrant of arrest issued by the High Court on them after failing to turn up in court for their initial sentencing.
All three were convicted of two charges under Section 326 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 (two counts) of the same code, in which they were sentenced to 18 years and five strokes of whipping for each charge.
The custodial sentence was ordered to run concurrently.
The court was also told that Ramshah had five warrants of arrest issued against him while Sukmarulnizam had two previous convictions for mischief and causing hurt.
The third accused has no previous criminal record.
In mitigating, all of them pleaded for a lenient sentence, saying they were remorseful and wished to turn over a new leaf.
DPP Stella Augustine Druce urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence and requested that their sentence to run concurrently for the two charges. She said the trio had committed a very serious offence.
“I urge the court to take into consideration public interest and most importantly the interest of the two victims who sustained permanent injuries.
“They had to stop their studies fearing that the accused will still go after them.”
When the case was first mentioned, all of them pleaded guilty to the charge in another Sessions Court.
The presiding judge, however, deferred judgement and allowed them to be released on bail to celebrate Hari Raya with their family members before sentencing.
The footage of the crime whereby the victims were assaulted with dangerous weapons inside a security guard post near a private university at Jalan Simpang Tiga was posted on the social media.
This has caught the attention of Chief Justice of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Richard Malanjum who ordered them to be prosecuted immediately.
However, they failed to turn up for hearing, prompting the authority to go after them. After their second arrest they all changed their mind and pleaded not guilty.
For the first charge, they were found guilty of causing grievous hurt to Casspetra Bawok Aldrin using a machete about 6.30pm on April 6 last year.
In the second charge, they committed similar offence on Nicholas Gandik Ningkan at the same place, time and day.