Restaurant worker jailed 18 years for setting fire to ex-colleague

KLANG: A restaurant assistant was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the Sessions Court yesterday for setting fire and seriously injuring a former female colleague.

Judge Emelia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid found Muhammad Khairul Anuar Abdullah, 25, guilty after the defence failed to raise any reasonable doubt at the end the prosecution’s case.

She ordered him to serve the sentence from yesterday.

Twelve prosecution witnesses and one defence witness testified during the trial.

Muhammad Khairul Anuar was charged under Section 326 of the Penal Code to voluntarily causing grievous hurt to a 21year-old woman at a palm oil plantation in Kampung Seri Aman, Sungai Besar, between 11.30 pm on Sept 27 and 12.30 am on Sept 28, 2015.

Based on the facts of the case, Muhammad Khairul Anuar knew the woman as they were co-workers at a boutique at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Subang in 2015.

On the day of the incident, he had met with the victim at a bus stop in Damansara and forced her to go into a car where he beat her up till she passed out.

He then drove to an oil palm plantation in Sungai Besar, Sabak Bernam and dragged the victim out, and poured petrol over her before setting her on fire.

The woman regained consciousness and jumped into a nearby drain to douse the flames and sought help at a village about 500 metres from the scene of incident.

Earlier during the proceeding before sentencing, the woman who came to court accompanied by family members, was called to give her ‘victim impact statement’.

“I don’t know what wrong I had done and why I was set on fire. I could not sleep soundly.. for almost a year, I could not tolerate the sun, I even tried to kill myself. I cannot work, cannot go out as my disability is permanent.

“I experienced trauma from the smell of petrol for months. I cannot accept what he did to me,” she said while trying to contain her tears in the witness box.

Selangor deputy public prosecutor Mahmoodah Ab Latiff urged the court to impose a severe custodial sentence on the accused as a lesson to society.

“Because of the action of the accused, the victim suffered second-degree burns; the prosecution urge the court to mete out maximum jail, whipping and costs that the court had incurred as well as compensation to the victim,” said DPP.

However, Muhammad Khairul Anuar’s counsel Shahrul Nizam Azwir in mitigation requested for 15 years, saying the maximum sentence was more appropriate if the accused was a repeat offender.

The judge adjourned the proceedings for about 20 minutes to assess the injuries sustained by the victim.

When the case recommenced, the judge noted that the injuries sustained by the victim were indeed severe such as that she was not able to turn her head or look up because of the tightness of the skin around her neck and face. Other parts of her skin had also fused with her body.

“I have scrutinised the victim’s injuries and you (accused) have also heard what she related. I therefore sentence you to 18 years in prison from today,” the judge pronounced. - Bernama