Security guard gets 13 years jail for murdering neighbour

GEORGE TOWN: A security guard has been sentenced to 13 years’ in jail by the High Court here for murdering his neighbour at an apartment where he was working at in Paya Terubong four years ago.

The punishment was meted out by High Court judge Quay Chew Soon after the accused Ong Lai Seng, 69, pleaded guilty to murdering Chuah Kok Seong, then 42, at the guardhouse of Block 8 of Desa May apartments in Persiaran Paya Terubong here at about 8.50pm on Dec 5, 2020.

Quay said in addition to considering Quay’s age and circumstances of the case and that the murder was not pre-planned but triggered by a fight between two neighbours, Ong would serve his jail term from the date of arrest and be spared from caning.

The offence under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code for causing death by negligence provides a prison sentence of up to 30 years and a fine, upon conviction, if the act is committed with intent to cause death.

DPP Lee Jun Keong and Puteri Nor Nadia Mohamed Iqbal procecuted the case while Ong was represented by lawyer Helmi Hassan.

According to earlier reports, the victim was stabbed 10 times at a guard post of the apartment where Ong worked as a security guard.

The suspect claimed that he stabbed the victim as he could not endure the constant harassment he received from the victim.