Man gets jail, whipping for causing hurt to septuagenarian

KUANTAN: The Sessions Court yesterday sentenced a man to 12 years’ jail and two strokes of the cane for causing grievous hurt to a septuagenarian over a misunderstanding on unpaid wage for ploughing paddy field.

Judge Datuk Unaizah Mohd handed down the sentence on Shahrunizam Romli, 36, after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubts against the prosecution’s case.

Shahrunizam was charged with injuring Rahmat Senapi, 70, with a bamboo stick at a house in Kampung Pandan Dalam, Nenasi, Pekan near here at 4.30 pm on Dec 26 last year.

The charge, under Section 326 of the Penal Code, provides an imprisonment for up to 20 years and fine, or whipping, if found guilty.

He was arrested on Dec 30 after the victim lodged a police report and was charged in the court for the first time on Jan 4.

In mitigation, defence counsel Datuk Bob Arumugam said the accused did not intend to commit the offence and that it occurred when the accused went to claim his unpaid wages.

“The weapon involved was just a bamboo, not a dangerous weapon such as a machete. The accused is self-employed and only studied up to Form Five. He is married with two children, aged 12 and four.

“The accused is not a violent person and has no criminal record. In addition, he has given his cooperation by turning up at the court whenever this case is mentioned,” he said.

However, deputy public prosecutor Shahrul Ekhsan Hassim asked for a deterrent sentence to serve as a lesson to the accused and the public.

“His action has caused the victim to fracture his left hand,” he said. - Bernama