Man jailed 20 years in Malaysia for causing death of pregnant wife during violent sex
The victim was a medical officer who was six months' pregnant when she died. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PIXABAY
Man jailed 20 years in Malaysia for causing death of pregnant wife during violent sex
KOTA KINABALU - A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by Sabah's Sandakan High Court on June 26 for causing the death of his pregnant wife during violent sexual intercourse.
The court found Mohd Rusdi Mohd Nor, who is unemployed, guilty of unintentionally causing the death of Dr Azma Ab Rajab, a medical officer who was then six months' pregnant, on Nov 9, 2022, at their condominium on Jalan Utara.
Justice Celestina Stuel Galid ruled that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, which covers causing death without intent to murder.
In delivering the sentence, she acknowledged that the act was not premeditated and that there was no prior history of domestic violence.
However, she stressed the severity of the consequences, which included the death of both the wife and their unborn child.
During mitigation, the defence argued that Rusdi was remorseful, had cooperated fully with police, and that the incident happened spontaneously without intent to kill.
The court heard that there were no signs of strangulation, but injuries were found around the victim's nose, mouth and neck.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Risal Abd Fikkah highlighted that the cause of death was asphyxiation due to smothering, and the victim had likely struggled to survive.
He also noted that Dr Azma, a dedicated emergency doctor at Duchess of Kent Hospital in Sandakan, who had spent her life saving others, tragically died at the hands of her own husband.
The prosecution called 23 witnesses during the trial, while the defence called two, including the accused and a forensic consultant. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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