KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today sentenced a former contractor to 30 years in prison after finding him guilty of murdering his wife by smothering her with a blanket at their home four years ago.
Judge K. Muniandy ruled that Chuah Chin Hoe, 51, had failed to raise any reasonable doubt in his defence, ordering his sentence to commence from the date of his arrest on May 11, 2021.
“After thorough consideration of the submission by the accused’s counsel, the aggravating factors presented by the deputy public prosecutor, the victim impact statements from both of the deceased’s family members, proportionate to the commission of the crime and the facts and circumstances of the case, this court sentences the accused to 30 years of imprisonment,” said the judge.
According to the charge, Chuah was accused of murdering Lau Bee Hong, 46, at a condominium unit on Jalan Genting Klang, Setapak, between 2.30 am and 9.30 am on May 9, 2021.
The charge framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries the death penalty or imprisonment of 30 to 40 years. If not sentenced to death, the law also mandates at least 12 strokes of the cane.
Earlier, defence counsel Carmen Eu, who represented the father of three, pleaded for the minimum 30-year jail term without caning, citing his age and mental distress following the loss of both his wife and son within a short period.
“The accused was a loving and devoted husband, and his actions were a spontaneous assault rather than a premeditated act. I also urge the court to consider that he was unable to attend his second child’s funeral as he was already in prison.
“With the minimum sentence, he promises to make the most of his second chance,” she said.
However, deputy public prosecutor Zaileen Nadia Zubir argued for the maximum penalty, highlighting that as a husband and head of the family, the accused had a duty to protect, not harm, his wife.
“The evidence presented in court does not suggest any element of a fight or provocation leading to this murder. This was not a crime of passion - it was a premeditated crime committed with intent.
“There is clear evidence that the victim had filed a police report expressing fear for her safety, and this should not be ignored in determining the sentence,” she added.
