Man escapes gallows for teen's murder in Semporna
KOTA KINABALU (June 19): A 36-year-old man escaped the gallows after the Court of Appeal here on Thursday substituted his death sentence with 35 years' imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane for the murder of a teenage girl in Semporna seven years ago.
A panel of three judges — Datuk Azman Abdullah, Datuk Azhahari Kamal Ramli and Datuk Noorin Badaruddin — unanimously dismissed Alkadzman Maksidi's appeal against the Tawau High Court's decision.
Alkadzman was ordered to serve the jail term from the date of his arrest on November 29, 2018.
On November 23, 2022, he was sentenced to death by the Tawau High Court after being found guilty of murdering a14-year-old girl in an orchard in Semporna on November 29, 2018.
He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code. Following amendments to the section, courts may impose a prison term of not less than 30 years and not exceeding 40 years, along with a mandatory minimum of 12 strokes of the cane, if the death sentence is not applied.
Alkadzman was represented by counsel Mervyn @ Hasan Sainy.
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