Woman jailed eight months for attacking mum-in-law with cleaver

SINGAPORE: A former health associate flew into a rage after her mother-in-law doubted her marital fidelity and she attacked the elderly woman with a cleaver.

Nurul Natasha Sazali, 23, was sentenced yesterday to eight months’ jail for repeatedly slashing Fatimah Kalanthar Mastan, 68, in a Bukit Batok flat on Dec 15 last year.

Fatimah suffered injuries that included wounds on her back and left forearm.

She was warded for two days and given leave until Dec 31 that year.

She has however forgiven her daughter-in-law, the court heard.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Chong quoted a letter by Fatimah, in which she wrote that she has fully recovered and “does not have any anger” towards Nurul.

Nurul is out on bail of US$15,000 (RM45,630) and will begin serving her sentence on June 7.

She is married to Fatimah’s son Ahmad Haji Shahrul Hameed, 25, who agreed to be her bailor.

The court heard that at around 10.30pm on Dec 15 last year, Ahmad asked his mother to talk to his wife, whom he suspected of having an affair.

Court documents did not state if Nurul, who is unemployed, was unfaithful to her husband.

Fatimah then left her room to go to the living room. Nurul, enraged, followed her and punched her repeatedly in the face, causing her lip to bleed.

After that, Nurul went to the kitchen and took a cleaver with a 17cm-long blade, and used it to slash her mother-in-law.

“The victim tried to take the cleaver away from the accused while the accused continued to slash at her.

The victim managed to grab hold of the chopper eventually and tossed it aside,” said DPP Ng.