Family hardship caused by incarceration of a breadwinner does not justify any consideration for reduction in an offender’s sentence.
Chief Justice Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong reiterated this on dismissing an application of an offender convicted of possessing arms without a licence on October 2.
Norfadzillah bin Abdul Rahman received six years and six months’ jail, with three whipping in sentences on June 3 on being found guilty after a trial for possessing two homemade rifles.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor’adliatul Hidayah binti Haji Mohd Zaidi, for respondent, said Norfadzillah was arrested by Narcotics Control Bureau officers at his home at Jalan Kecil Birau on January 11, 2021.
Norfadzillah said he assembled the rifle with the help of an Indonesian friend, and the rifles were used for hunting.
At the appeal, the Chief Justice highlighted Norfadzillah’s denial, his act in “possessing two lethal weapons” as posing “serious threat to public security, which all warranted a deterrent sentence”.
The Chief Justice saw the sentencing court to have made the right decision and upheld it, effectively dismissing the application. – Fadley Faisal
