Taken away: Mohd Nur being escorted by a policeman at the Ipoh High Court after the verdict was postponed.
IPOH: The verdict in a murder case involving a chicken trader accused of killing a divorcee due yesterday was postponed by the High Court here until the Bill to abolish the mandatory death penalty is gazetted.
The postponement was sought by lawyer Datuk Naran Singh, who represented accused Mohd Nur Hussein Mohd Salleh, after two Bills to abolish the mandatory death penalty were passed in the Dewan Rakyat earlier this month.
The 40-year-old was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the death sentence upon conviction.
“The Bills were passed, but had yet to be gazetted.
“Therefore, we would request for a different date for the decision,” said Naran.
On April 3, the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Bill 2023 and the Revision of Sentences of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Bill 2023, were passed in Parliament.
This abolished the mandatory death sentence for 11 offences.
Instead, the courts will have the discretion to impose life imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, including six to 12 strokes of the rotan.
Judicial Commissioner Bhupindar Singh Gurcharan Singh Preet set June 16 for the decision.
Mohd Nur Hussein was charged with the murder of Hamidah Abdul Rahman at her home in Taman Dato Lew Yan Sip here between 12.01am and 5am on March 13, 2017.
