Myanmar man gets 16 years’ prison for killing 80-year-old fruit seller in Taman OUG

In a Kuala Lumpur court on September 30th, a Myanmar national named Shofi Husson Fozo Rahman, 29, received a 16-year prison sentence for the killing of an 80-year-old fruit vendor, Ah Kau @ Yow Chow Chong, on September 26th, 2023. The High Court judge, Datuk Aslam Zainuddin, handed down the sentence after Rahman pleaded guilty to causing the victim's death. He was required to serve the term from his arrest on September 26th.

The dispute arose when the victim went to the accused's house to collect fruit for sale. An argument ensued, during which the accused stabbed the victim multiple times, including in the neck and body, using a knife. Surveillance footage revealed the victim at the scene before the accused approached him and threw an object, believed to be the knife, as he left.

A post-mortem examination confirmed the victim had sustained six stab wounds, including two in the neck that penetrated muscle and major blood vessels, as well as a wound to his left forearm.

The victim's 80-year-old age notwithstanding, he was still actively working and his death had a significant impact on his family, who were left as a father and breadwinner. The deputy public prosecutor, Faridah Nurdinie Bahrum, requested a stern sentence to serve as a warning to the accused and the general public. She emphasized that as a foreign national, the accused should have been aware of and adhered to Malaysia's laws.

Rahman's attorney, Datuk C. Vignesh Kumar, sought a sentence of 12 to 15 years, considering his client's guilty plea which expedited the court proceedings. He highlighted his client's lack of prior criminal record and his responsibility as a husband and father. Vignesh Kumar mentioned that Rahman displayed good behavior while in prison and expressed remorse for his actions.