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Admiral Piett
Guest
May 24, 2011
Man escapes death penalty for assault and robbery
By Selina Lum
The three-judge appeal court found that Galing Kujat (above), 24, had intended only to commit robbery and did not share his accomplice's subsequent intention to commit murder. -- PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
A SARAWAKIAN man, one of two who assaulted a Chinese national while robbing him in 2008, escaped the gallows on Tuesday after the Court of Appeal ruled that he was not guilty of murder.
The three-judge appeal court found that Galing Kujat, 24, had intended only to commit robbery and did not share his accomplice's subsequent intention to commit murder.
The court set aside Galing's murder conviction and convicted him of a lesser charge of robbery with hurt, which carries a jail term of between five and 20 years, and at least 12 strokes of the cane. The case was sent back to the High Court for sentencing.
In July last year, Galing and Jabing Kho, 26, were sentenced to the mandatory death penalty for the murder of Mr Cao Ruyin, a construction worker.
Jabing had struck the Chinese national on the head with a tree branch with such force that Galing saw their 40-year-old victim's head crack open. An autopsy found that Mr Cao suffered 14 fractures to his skull.
Both men appealed against their murder convictions. The Court of Appeal dismissed Jabing's appeal, saying he was rightly convicted of murder as there was clear evidence that he had intentionally inflicted the fatal injuries.
