KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 13 — Poon Wai Hong who was sentenced to die for killing a cosplayer in 2013 successfully appealed his murder conviction yesterday and will now serve 22 years’ imprisonment instead.

According to The Star, a Court of Appeal panel agreed to alter his original charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Murder convictions attract the mandatory death penalty.

Poon was convicted by the High Court in Shah Alam last April with murdering 15-year-old Ng Yuk Tim.

According to previous reports, Poon had stuffed Ng’s body into a suitcase on October 22, 2013, after failing to persuade her into sexual relations.

Ng was believed to have gone to the Poon’s house the previous day for help with some cosplay costumes.

During the course of the trial, the prosecution called 13 witnesses and the defence, just one.