MELAKA, Feb 25 — A cattle trader was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment by the Ayer Keroh Sessions Court after pleading guilty to an amended charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder committed 10 years ago.

M. Maheswaran, 40, made the plea after the amended charge was read out to him before Judge Rohatul Akmar Abdullah.

He was charged with causing the death of S. Manikumar with the intent to cause bodily harm likely to result in death between 10.30pm on May 22 and 9.50am on May 23, 2016, in an oil palm plantation area near Empangan Jus, Selandar, in Jasin.

The charge was framed under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, which provides a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment and a fine.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Rif’ah ‘Izzati Abdul Mutalif sought a proportionate sentence, citing the loss suffered by the victim’s family, while defence counsel Daniel Savarimuthu appealed for leniency, noting the accused had been in custody since March 3, 2022, and has four children.

Judge Rohatul Akmar Abdullah ordered the seven-year sentence to run from the date of arrest. — Bernama