(From left) Galang, Louis, Lasa, and Abun Sui in a group photo after they were ordered to be released.
SIBU: Two men who were involved in a murder case over a land dispute in Ulu Sungai Arip, Balingian, Mukah three years ago, were discharged and acquitted by the High Court here this morning.
Galang Imbang, 57, who was charged with murder, escaped the gallows while Lasa Sulau, 66, who was charged with attempted murder, escaped an imprisonment sentence when judge Dato Lee Heng Cheong accepted their defence and ruled that the prosecution had not been able to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.
In the case of Galang, Lee said that the defence had managed to cast doubt on whether the former had fired the fatal shot.
As for Lasa, Lee said that there was a confusion in identity as to whether he was the person who fired the shots.
Galang was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries a mandatory death penalty upon conviction while Lasa was charged under Section 307 of the Penal Code which provides for an imprisonment term of up to 20 years.
Last April, the duo was ordered to enter their defence after the court ruled that a prima facie case had been established.
In a joint trial, they were accused of committing the offences on Oct 24, 2016 between 5pm and 7.55pm in Ulu Arip, Sibu-Bintulu Road.
According to the charge, Galang was accused of murdering Fabian Lebau, while Lasa was accused of discharging a firearm towards Gleneker Julin and Luis Lawrence.
Galang was represented by defence counsel Louis Jarau while Lasa was represented by Abun Sui Anyit.