Single mother jailed 4 years for false testimony

KUALA LUMPUR: A single mother was sentenced to a four-year jail term by the magistrate's court for false testimony in the on-going murder trial of Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Kevin Morais.
Magistrate Namirah Hanum Mohamed Albaki ordered S.Yogeswary, 38, to serve her sentence from the date of conviction.
The accused was also ordered to pay RM1,500 for the cost of prosecution.
Later, Namirah allowed Yogeswary's lawyer J.Jayarubbiny's application for a stay of execution pending an appeal to the High Court.
Her bail amount was increased from RM5,000 to RM8,000.
Yogeswary, who was the 37th prosecution witness in the Morais murder trial had claimed trial to giving false evidence on the use of her Mitsubishi Triton.
In her testimony at the High Court on Sept 27, 2016, Yogeswary, who is the owner of the vehicle with the registration number PEP 1135, is alleged to have given testimony, which contradicted her statement given under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Earlier in mitigation, Jayarubbiny urged for a lenient sentence, she said the accused is a single mother of an eight-year-old child.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Izzat Fauzan said a jail sentence is mandatory for the offence.
He said Yogeswary had tried to protect those accused of Morais' murder with her false testimony.
"Her act in giving false evidence is as good as murdering the victim," said Izzat.