Unemployed Man’s Death Penalty Commuted To 40 Years In Prison For Killing Mother

PUTRAJAYA, Aug 26 (Bernama) -- An unemployed man escaped the gallows when the Court of Appeal commuted his death sentence to 40 years in prison for murdering his mother, whose body was discovered in a septic tank six years ago.

The three-judge panel consisting of Court of Appeal judges Datuk Ahmad Zaidi Ibrahim and Mohamed Zaini Mazlan, and High Court judge Datuk Noorin Badaruddin, also imposed 12 strokes of the cane on Mohammad Firdaus Ismail.

In allowing Mohammad Firdaus’s appeal against his sentence, Justice Ahmad Zaidi said the court has taken into account the submission by lawyer Hussaini Abdul Rashid for the prison term, and the fact that deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Roshan Karthi Kayan did not seek to retain the death sentence.

“After considering the facts of the case, the court finds the appeal has merit.

“The death sentence is therefore replaced with 40 years in prison, starting from Sept 25, 2018, the date of his arrest, and 12 strokes of the rotan,” said Justice Ahmad Zaidi.

Hussaini informed the court earlier that Mohammad Firdaus is withdrawing his appeal against his conviction but will proceed with the appeal regarding his death sentence.

He said when the High Court sentenced Mohammad Firdaus to death in 2022, the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act 2023 had not yet been enforced.

Mohammad Firdaus, 35, the youngest of five siblings, was convicted and sentenced to death by the High Court on April 15, 2022, for the murder of his 63-year-old mother, Faridah Mat Hashim at their house in Balik Pulau, Penang, on Sept 19, 2018.

It was reported that Faridah’s body was found inside a septic tank behind her house. 

-- BERNAMA