A 22-year-old woman was ordered to serve six years and six months in jail after she pleaded guilty to killing her boyfriend three years ago.
The sentence was handed down by the High Court in Johor Bharu today following the guilty plea made by the woman, who’s simply known as Shy, reported NST.
Rejected BF’s request for sex
Court documents showed that the incident took place at a hotel near Jalan Austin Height on Sept 20, 2022, when Shy was 19 at the time.
That night, she and her boyfriend had a quarrel after she refused to engage in sexual intercourse as she was menstruating, prompting him to threaten her with a knife.
Fearing for her safety, Shy tried to grab the weapon from him but in the midst of doing so, the knife plunged into his chest more than once.
Upon seeing her boyfriend lying motionless, Shy called her mother for help. Police were later called to the scene after her mother and stepfather arrived at the hotel.
Shy was subsequently arrested and charged with murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the death penalty upon conviction.
Charge reduced
However, the prosecution later agreed to reduce the charge to culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 following representations by Shy’s lawyer, Farhan Read.
She pleaded guilty to the reduced charge.
‘Justice must be tempered with mercy’
In a written judgement, Judge Kan Weng Hin said the case was a depiction of love, fear and irreversible tragedy.
The refusal to accept ‘no’ as an answer in a relationship can be deadly and devastating. At the young age of 19, she had killed her boyfriend in a struggle over his demand for sex.”
He also noted that Shy cried non-stop and couldn’t bring herself to look at photos related to the case when it was shown in court.
“She is obviously still traumatised by the incident. Forever she will carry the nightmare of that night with her,” he added.
The judge said that while Shy cannot escape the consequences of her actions, the court must take into consideration her youth and circumstances surrounding the incident.
“In respect of young offenders, the court has shown a propensity to temper justice with mercy.
“After all, what is to be gained by extracting ‘a pound of flesh’ (quoting Shakespeare’s ‘Merchant of Venice’) when young offenders are subjected to long incarceration?
“A long incarceration would not only make assimilation harder when the young offender is released but would compound the already overcrowded situation in prison.”
The judge also ordered for a gag order to be placed on Shy’s identity, saying that she deserved a chance to turn her life around upon her release from prison.
Appeals have since been filed by the prosecution and the defence.
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