ALOR STAR: A Pakistani man escaped the gallows after his death sentence was commuted to 36 years in prison for beheading a doctor in Bentong, Pahang, 13 years ago.
The decision was made by a Federal Court panel of three judges led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, alongside Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judge Datuk Nordin Hassan.
The sentence is to run from his date of arrest on Aug 24, 2011.
The accused, Shafaqat Ali Ghulam Nabi, 43, will also receive 12 strokes of the rotan under Section 302 of the Penal Code, Section 2(4) and 3(1) of the Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act 2023.
On April 5, 2014, the High Court passed down the death sentence on Shafaqat for the murder of Harjit Singh Bachan Singh, 51, at the victim's house in Kampung Sungai Padang Sertik, Bentong, about 8.30pm on Aug 23, 2011.
According to the facts of the case, the victim was found dead with his head decapitated.
Shafaqat, who worked at an orchard owned by the victim, told a witness that he used a 2ft-long parang to behead the victim as he was angry with him for insulting the Kaabah.
During the proceedings today, the Federal Court also allowed a review application by Mohd Syawal Abdullah, 38, to commute his death sentence for murdering his wife in 2012.
On April 14, 2016, the High Court imposed the death sentence after he was found guilty of murdering Nor Fatimah Anis Md Radzi, 17.
He committed the offence at their home in Kampung Alor Gelegah, Alor Mengkudu, about 5am on Dec 28, 2012.
Syawal killed her by repeatedly beating her with a bamboo stick.
Tengku Maimun set aside the death sentence and ordered the applicant to serve 35 years in jail and receive 12 strokes of the rotan.
A total of 68 prisoners found guilty of murder and drug trafficking had their death sentences commuted to between 30 and 38 years of jail during the two-day review proceedings at the Alor Star High Court that ended today.