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AN EX-POLICE inspector who shot his wife to death seven years ago escaped the gallows after the Putrajaya Court of Appeal today commuted his death sentence to 33 years' imprisonment, New Straits Times reports.
A three-man bench led by Datuk Ravinthran N. Paramaguru set aside the death sentence handed down on Shoffian Abu Hassan by the Kuching High Court in 2021.
The court also ordered the accused to be given 12 strokes of the cane.
Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk Azmi Ariffin were the two other judges on the three-man bench. The decision was unanimous.
The accused was charged with shooting and killing Siti Nadrah Abdullah.
In its judgement, the court said there were mitigating factors in this case that did not justify the death sentence.
"The accused and the deceased were a married couple and were engaged in serious marital problems that escalated to the murder of his wife.
"While we are mindful that domestic violence cannot be condoned or taken lightly for any reason, we are of the view that capital punishment should be reserved for only the worst kind of cases.
"We do not think that the present case falls into that category," said Azmi.
Court data showed that Shoffian, who was based in Belaga, murdered his 33-year-old wife by shooting her in the neck at 3.15pm on May 21, 2017, near Serian, Sarawak.
The accused had suspected his wife of having an affair and confronted her before a heated quarrel broke out.
He drew his gun and shot her before fleeing in a police vehicle.
C. Meenatchisundaram represented the accused. Mohd Fairuz Johari was the deputy public prosecutor. – May 15, 2024