Worker escapes gallows, jailed eight years instead over death

GEORGE TOWN: A contract worker escaped the gallows yesterday after the murder charge against him was changed to unintentionally causing death in the High Court here.

Judge Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid made the decision after the prosecution failed to prove that Mohd Faizul Md Saaid, 45, had the intention to kill K. Lokeswaran, 34, an Indian national in 2017, reducing the charge from Section 302 of the Penal Code to Section 304 of the same code.

According to the amended charge, Mohd Faizul was accused of committing the murder of K.Lokeswaran in front of Ujong Batu Temple, Butterworth between 4.30 pm and 4.35 pm, on September 25, 2017.

He was accused under Section 304 (b) of the Penal Code that carries a jail term of up to 10 years or a fine or both.

Mohd Faizul was also accused of causing hurt to R. Dharmedran, 31, at the same place, time, and date, under Section 324 of the Penal Code which is punishable by a jail term of up to 10 years or a fine or whipping or any two of such punishments. - Bernama

He was sentenced to eight years in jail for culpable homicide and three years’ imprisonment for causing hurt, to run concurrently from the date of his arrest on September 25, 2017.

Mohd Faizul was represented by lawyer A. Chandra Segaran and the case was prosecuted by deputy public prosecutor Noor Azura Zulkiflee. - Bernama