Published: Tuesday April 15, 2014 MYT 6:57:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday April 15, 2014 MYT 7:00:31 PM
Woman gets the gallows for murdering stepmother
SHAH ALAM: A woman received the death sentence at the High Court on Tuesday after she and her step sister were found guilty of killing their step mother by suffocating her with a pillow two years ago.
Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir held that the unemployed accused Zahidah Ahmad (pic), 27, and her 18-year-old stepsister had failed to raise a reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case.
The court set April 28, however, for the sentencing of Zahidah's step sister pending a probation report as she was still a minor (16) at the time of the offence.
Judge Akhtar said he found both the accused's testimonies to be a mere denial, adding that the prosecution witnesses were more credible.
"So I find that the prosecution has proven beyond a reasonable doubt the charges against the accused and hold them guilty as charged," he said.
Zahidah and her step sister were jointly charged with killing Tanziah Zainuddin, at a house in Taman Sri Wangi, Kapar, Klang about 5.30 pm on July 14 2012.
They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the mandatory death sentence, upon conviction.
A total of 14 prosecution and three defence witnesses were called throughout the trial.
The prosecution was handled by deputy public prosecutor Iswa Tonie while the two sisters were represented by lawyers Tan Teck Yaw and Liow Boon Lee.
It was earlier reported that the death of the victim, a religious teacher, was classified as sudden death and she had been buried.
However, three days after her burial, a member of her family found some of the deceased's jewelry missing and lodged a police report on the matter.
The victim's body was then exhumed and a post mortem revealed that the cause of the elderly woman's death was asphyxiation. - Bernama
