By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, March 6: A man sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of a 64-year-old woman in 2003 breathed a sigh of relief today as the Federal Court here reduced his sentence to 33 years in prison.
The unanimous decision was made by a panel of three judges led by Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, presiding with Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli and Datuk Mary Lim Thiam Suan after hearing the appeal of Peter Merupi@Masnor Abdullah, 47.
The three-men bench also directed that the prison sentence be enforced from the date of arrest, November 25, 2004.
Earlier, on Sept 5, 2008, the appellant from Sibu was found guilty and convicted under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
On April 21, 2014, the appellant appealed against the sentence. However, the Federal Court upheld the appellant’s death sentence.
On January 27, 2017, the Governor of Sarawak commuted the appellant’s death sentence to life imprisonment.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 5(1) of the Review of Death Sentence and Life Imprisonment Act 2023, the appellant, through his lawyers Simon Siah and Moh Ung Kiang today, applied for a review of his life imprisonment sentence, seeking a reduction to a specific term of imprisonment.
According to the charge, Peter was accused of killing Lee Ing Mui at a house on Jalan Ang Cheng Ho here around 2am on March 9, 2003.
A couple who rented a room at same premises reported that they saw the appellant leaving the victim’s room.
The couple immediately informed the police, suspecting foul play when the accused hurriedly left the scene.
Police later found the body outside the premises.
It is understood that the victim died from head injuries resulting from violence, including severe bleeding caused by the impact of an object, ultimately leading to death.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mangaiarkarasi Krishnan appeared for the prosecution. — DayakDaily
