By Dorcas Ting
KUCHING, Nov 12: A 41-year-old man was sentenced to five years imprisonment and three strokes of the rotan by the Sessions Court today for slapping his mother and throwing an umbrella at her chest after she told him to take a bath.
Mohd Rafizan Joret, a CCTV installer, pleaded guilty before Judge Musli Abdul Hamid to a charge of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, an umbrella, against his 62-year-old mother.
The charge was framed under Section 324 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 326A, which provides for enhanced punishment for offences against family members.
The court heard that the incident took place at a house in Kampung Pulo Hilir at about 9am on June 29.
According to the facts of the case, the victim lodged a police report stating that her son had slapped her right cheek before throwing an umbrella at her chest. He also threatened to damage his sister’s car.
The altercation was triggered when the mother told him to take a bath. He had returned from work the night before and had not bathed since, leaving an unpleasant odour in the house. Angered by the remark, he lashed out at her.
Acting on the report, police arrested Rafizan on July 1. Investigations found that he had seven previous convictions involving drugs, mischief and criminal intimidation.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Aiman Zarith Zahrullail prosecuted, while the accused was represented by Vanessa Yii Tze Thong of the National Legal Aid Foundation. – DayakDaily
