Sarawakian escapes gallows, jailed 20 years for causing death

PUTRAJAYA: A Sarawakian who was sentenced to hang for murder, escaped the gallows today when the Federal Court sentenced him to 20 years jail on a reduced charge of causing death.
A five-man panel chaired by Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum ordered Paul Lagang anak Malit to serve his sentence from his arrest on Aug 16, 2013.
In setting aside the death sentence and murder conviction, Justice Malanjum said Paul's conviction for murder was unsafe in view of the manner the trial was conducted by the trial judge.
"Looking at the overall evidence adduced and in the interest of justice, the court substitutes the charge against Paul to Section 304 (a) of the Penal Code," he said.
Federal Court judges Tan Sri Zainun Ali, Tan Sri Azahar Mohamed, Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim and Tan Sri Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha were the other judges on the panel.

Paul, 30, a contractor, was accused of causing the death of Morris Asang Yahya, 22, who is related to him, in Taman Perindustrian Puchong Utama, Bukit Puchong, Selangor on Aug 13, 2013.
He was initially found guilty by the High Court for murder and sentenced to death. The Court of Appeal upheld the High Court's decision prompting him to appeal to the Federal Court.
The appellant's counsel Gobind Singh Deo submitted that the trial judge's findings for murder which relied on eyewitness Robin Bapi's evidence was unsafe.
He said material parts of the eye witness's evidence was incomprehensible.
Despite observation by the trial judge, there was no interpreter to assist the witness whose mother tongue was the Kenyah language, argued Gobind.
He submitted that his client's right to a fair trial had been violated.
Deputy public prosecutor K. Mangai asked the court to hand down between 20 to 25 years jail. — Bernama