Pakistani man’s death sentence for beheading doc commuted to 36 years in jail

ALOR SETAR: The mandatory death penalty imposed on a Pakistani man after he was found guilty of murdering a doctor 13 years ago has been commuted to 36 years in prison and 12 strokes of the cane by the Federal Court here.

A unanimous decision by a three-judge panel led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat allowed Syafaqat Ali Ghulam Nabi’s request for review under Sections 2(4) and 3(1) of the Review of Death Penalty and Life Imprisonment Act 2023 (Federal Court Temporary Jurisdiction).

Tengku Maimum set aside the April 5, 2013 High Court death sentence on Syafaqat Ali, 43, and substituted it with 36 years imprisonment from the date of his arrest on Aug 24, 2011, and 12 strokes of the cane.

The other presiding judges Wednesday (Sept 11) were Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judge Datuk Nordin Hassan.

Shafaqat Ali was found guilty of killing Harjit Singh a/l Bachan Singh, 51, at his home in Kampung Sungai Padang Sertik, Bentong, Pahang at 8.30pm on Aug 23, 2011.

According to the facts of the case, the victim was found in front of his house with his head severed.

Shafaqat, who worked in the deceased’s frangipani flower plantation at the time, used a 60cm (24in) machete to commit the act, claiming he could not accept the doctor’s insult to his religion.

Meanwhile, in a separate case, former cook Syarafi Abu, 33, and Mohd Syawal Abdullah, 38, also had their death penalties commuted to imprisonment and caning.

Syarafi was sentenced to death on May 12, 2017, after being found guilty of murdering Nur Syuhada Johari, 20, a Universiti Teknologi Mara Penang student, in a car at KM228.2 of the North-South Highway in Bukit Gantang on Feb 2, 2015.

His sentence was commuted to 38 years in prison and 14 strokes of the cane.

Mohd Syawal was sentenced to death by the High Court on April 14, 2016 after being found guilty of killing his wife Nor Fatimah Anis Md Radzi, 17, by assaulting her repeatedly with a bamboo stick in Kampung Alor Gelegah, Alor Mengkudu, Alor Setar on Dec 28, 2012.

The court substituted his sentence with 35 years imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane. – Bernama