26-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Ex-election candidate jailed 10 years over husband's death
Lau Seck Yan, who ran as an independent candidate in the 2018 Port Dickson by-election, previously pleaded not guilty to murder. (Bernama pic)
PETALING JAYA : A former election candidate has been sentenced to 10 years in jail after pleading guilty in the Seremban High Court to culpable homicide not amounting to murder over her husband's death three years ago.
Justice Rohani Ibrahim meted out the sentence on Lau Seck Yan, 58, after she pleaded guilty to the amended charge, Sinar Harian reported.
Lau, who ran as an independent candidate in the 2018 Port Dickson by-election, previously pleaded not guilty to murder.
Rohani ordered Lau's jail sentence to commence from the date of her arrest on Jan 23, 2022.
Lau was charged with causing bodily injury that was likely to cause death to Poh Seng Hiap, 55, at a house in Rasah Kemayan Golf & Country Township, Seremban 2 at 3.30pm on Jan 23, 2022.
The former lecturer at a private college was charged under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a fine upon conviction.
Her lawyer, Kitson Foong, had asked the court for a lower jail term since Lau had pleaded guilty and did not have a criminal record.
Deputy public prosecutor Khairunnisa Hazwani Omar sought a sentence commensurate with the seriousness of the crime, citing public interest in the case.
The 2018 Port Dickson by-election was won by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim, who defeated a candidate from PAS as well as five independent candidates, including Lau, who received 214 votes.
