Appeal against death sentence dismissed

Both appellants being escorted by prison officers.

By Dorcas Ting

KUCHING, July 24: The Federal Court here dismissed an appeal by two labourers who were sentenced to death for the murder of businessman Hii Nek Kah in 2015.

The five-man bench led by the President of the Court of Appeal of Malaysia Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Ahmad Maarop, the Chief Judge of The High Court of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Seri Panglima David Wong Dak Wah, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Azahar Mohamed, Dato’ Setia Mohd Zawawi Salleh, and Datuk Nallini Pathmanathan unanimously found that there were no merits in the appeal and dismissed the appeal application by Mohamad Nazarie Halidi, 27, from Kampung Semerah Padi, and Suffry Empi, 30, from Jalan Sentosa, Sibu.

Their earlier conviction and sentence by the High Court was affirmed.

The appellants had been charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code to have caused Hii’s death on January 30, 2015, between 9pm and 11pm at Matang Family Park.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which when read with Section 34 of the same Code, carries a mandatory death sentence, upon conviction.

Mohamad Nazarie was represented by assigned counsel Fung Lee Fook while Suffry was represented by assigned counsel Wilfred Yap. Deputy Public Prosecutor Dato’ Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria appeared for the respondent. — DayakDaily