Kota Kinabalu: A storekeeper was jailed for 35 years and ordered given 15 strokes of the cane by the High Court here on Tuesday for murdering an undocumented man in Penampang three years ago.
Judicial Commissioner Ratanah Devi Yusof Perumal sentenced Mohd Hazrul Migo Hassan, 32, after finding that the prosecution had proven its case against him beyond reasonable doubt.
Mohd Hazrul was found guilty of killing one Al Sam Amil, an undocumented foreigner, on Dec 24, 2023, between 4.44am and 6.42am, at the roadside of Jalan SMK Bahang, Penampang.
The charge stated that Mohd Hazrul and another accused Najib Adam, who was discharged and acquitted without his defence being called, together with seven more accomplices, who are still at large, were jointly charged under Section 302 and read together with Section 34, both of the Penal Code.
The offence carries the death penalty or a jail term of between 30 and 40 years, and if not sentenced to death, the offender is liable to whipping of not less than 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
On April 10, 2026, Najib was acquitted of the same charge without being called to enter his defence, while Mohd Hazrul was ordered to enter his defence on the charge.
Mohd Hazrul opted to give sworn testimony in his defence and was the sole defence witness.
The prosecution had called 11 witnesses during the prosecution stage of the trial.
The court ordered Mohd Hazrul to serve his jail sentence from the date of his arrest.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Lovely Natasha Charles prosecuted the case, while Mohd Hazrul was represented by government-appointed counsel Jamadi Saleh.
