TAWAU – A father of eight was sentenced to 14 years in jail by the high court here today after he was found guilty of causing his wife’s death by negligence six years ago.
Judge Datuk Lim Hock Leng ordered Jakaria Abu Bakar, 56, to serve the prison sentence from the date of his arrest on February 4, 2019.
Jakaria was initially charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code with murdering Norminah Bollok, 39, at an unnumbered house in Kg Pinggir Bakau, Semporna, at 4am on January 22, 2017.
However, the charge against Jakaria was amended to Section 304(a) of the Penal Code for causing death by negligence after the court found that there was an element of provocation due to a husband-wife argument.
It was also found that during the argument, there was a scuffle for a machete, which ended with the wife being stabbed.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Hurman Hussain, while lawyer Andy Tay represented the accused.
In the same court, judge Lim sentenced a 51-year-old Filipino illegal immigrant to life imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane after finding him guilty of drug trafficking.
Nedzmar Palaudin was charged under Section 39B (1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1957 (Act 234) for trafficking 128.86g of syabu at the roadside of Jalan Dahlia, in front of the Nisah Trading store in Lahad Datu, at 7am on December 16, 2021.
Hurman was also the prosecutor in the case, while lawyer Abdul Gani Zelika represented the accused. – November 29, 2023