By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Sept 29: The High Court here today sentenced a couple to 15 years in prison each after they admitted responsibility for the death of four-year-old Eric Chang Wei Jie, whose body has never been found.
Justice Leonard David Shim handed down the sentence on Wendy Chai Xue Zhen, 40, and her husband, Ling Kok Liang, 54, following their guilty plea to an alternative charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The offence falls under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34.
The court was told that the tragedy occurred at a house in Taman Riverview, Bintawa, between March 4 and 7, 2022. Eric had been placed in the couple’s care on Feb 21, 2022, as his mother was unwell during pregnancy and her partner was recovering from an accident.
While under their supervision, Eric was repeatedly subjected to abuse, including being slapped, beaten, and struck with items such as belts, hoses, and water scoops whenever he wet himself. On March 4, he was violently assaulted and was discovered dead by Ling the following morning.
Instead of alerting authorities, the couple left the body in the house until the smell became overwhelming. Two days later, Chai wrapped Eric’s remains in a blanket and plastic before placing him in a polystyrene box. That night, they drove to the Muara Tebas jetty and disposed of the box in the river, also discarding some of the child’s belongings.
Chai later lied to Eric’s mother, claiming the boy had gone missing, and staged the scene to appear as though he had run out of the house. A police report was lodged the same day. The couple were eventually arrested on March 16, 2022, but despite extensive searches, Eric’s remains were never recovered.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Fillany Siji led the prosecution, while counsels Daniel Ling and Fung Lee Fook represented Chai and Ling, respectively. — DayakDaily
