31-07-2025
Ex-car rental operator gets 33 years jail for murder of customer
MELAKA: A former car rental operator was sentenced to 33 years' imprisonment by the High Court today after being found guilty of murdering a woman who had rented a vehicle from him seven years ago.
Judge Datuk Anselm Charles Fernandis delivered the sentence to Shamshuri Mohamad, 55, after ruling that the defence had failed to prove his innocence.
The prison term will be calculated from the date of his arrest, on June 4, 2018.
In delivering his decision, the judge said he had carefully considered the defence counsel's submission, the aggravating factors presented by the deputy public prosecutor, and the victim impact statement provided by the deceased's husband, who had lost his wife and is now raising their two children without a mother's love.
Anselm also took into account the fact that the accused is over 50-years-old and is therefore exempted from caning.
Shamshuri was charged with murdering 40-year-old Yuliana at a house in Taman Bertam Perdana here, between 10am and 1pm on June 4, 2018.
He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty or imprisonment for a term of between 30 and 40 years. If the death penalty is not imposed, the law also prescribes a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane.
Earlier, counsel Sangeet Kaur Deo, representing the accused, pleaded for the minimum custodial sentence without whipping, citing that her client suffers from chronic inflammatory bowel disease, hypertension, and diabetes.
She also urged the court to consider that this was her client's first offence, that he is married, has been in custody since 4 June 2018, and had voluntarily surrendered to the police on the day of the incident when contacted.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Firdaus Saleh pressed for the death sentence, citing the violent nature of the offence and the lasting impact of the victim's death on her family.
He also noted that the trial, which began on Sept 1, 2020, involved 21 prosecution witnesses and one defence witness — the accused himself.
