KUALA LUMPUR – A former police corporal told his family members to accept what had happened and to look after his children after the high court here today sentenced him to death by hanging for killing his stepdaughter six years ago.
Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah handed down the sentence on Muhammad Khairuanuar Baharuddin, 39, after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubts against the prosecution’s case at the end of the defence case.
As soon as the proceeding ended, Khairuanuar, who was in the dock and looked calm, turned to his family members, who were in the public gallery, and smiling, said: “InsyaAllah, it has been determined by Allah. Pray for the best. Take good care of my children.”
Most of the family members were not able to hold back their tears and were seen crying.
Khairuanuar was charged with murdering two-year-old Hanis Amanda Mohd Zafil during an incident at a condominium in Section 5, Wangsa Maju here between 7am and 7.30pm on November 6, 2015.
The charge, framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code, provides the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
In the judgment, Sequerah said the court found that all the circumstantial evidence in the case led to the conclusion that the accused killed the deceased.
“Therefore, the court convicted the accused under Section 302 (of the Penal Code). The punishment in this case is mandatory, which is hanging until death,” he added.
Deputy public prosecutor Zahida Zakaria prosecuted the case, while lawyer Fahri Azzat represented Khairuanuar.
The case was reported by the media in November 2015, and led to the opening of a Facebook account under the name “Justice For Amanda”. – Bernama, March 31, 2021
