KLANG: A man was sentenced to death by hanging for murdering and burning his pregnant girlfriend in Sabak Bernam two years ago.
Muhammad Fakrul Aiman Sajali, 22, maintained his guilty plea before Judge Norazlin Othman at the High Court here.
He was charged with murdering 21-year-old Nur Anisah Abdul Wahab at Jalan Sungai Limau between 8.30pm on May 22 and 8am on May 23, 2023.
The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries either the death penalty or imprisonment between 30 and 40 years with at least 12 lashes.
Judge Norazlin said the court accepted the accused’s unconditional guilty plea and acknowledgment of the prosecution’s evidence.
She described the offence as cruel and premeditated, warranting a harsher sentence than spontaneous violence.
“The victim was 18 weeks pregnant, meaning two lives were lost in this brutal attack,“ she said in her judgment.
The autopsy revealed burns covering almost the entire body and horrific abdominal injuries exposing internal organs.
“The accused struck the victim’s head with a stick, dragged her to a drain, then used a knife to stab her abdomen and slash her neck,“ the judge detailed.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nurul Ashiqin Zulkifli submitted 112 exhibits including an ultrasound image, knife, stick and victim’s clothing.
She called the offence extremely serious due to the loss of a pregnant woman’s life.
“The victim’s death was too cruel and this premeditated crime should serve as a lesson to all,“ Nurul Ashiqin submitted.
Defence lawyer Muhammad Nor Tamrin argued his client had been made a scapegoat, citing a DNA report showing the fetus did not belong to the accused.
He said the accused faced pressure from a man claiming to be the victim’s cousin’s husband, who allegedly threatened him over the pregnancy.
Muhammad Nor highlighted his client’s clean record and excellent academic performance with a 3.80 GPA.
He urged the court to impose the minimum sentence considering the early guilty plea. – Bernama
