SHAH ALAM, May 21— A married couple was sent to the gallows by the High Court here today after they were found guilty of murdering their eight-year-old son at a message centre where they worked, four years ago.
Judge Datuk Noorin Badaruddin handed down the sentence on Aaron Teoh Eng Wan, 37, and his wife, En Sit Mooi, 40, after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
“There was overwhelming evidence that the couple had committed murder and the prosecution has brought forward a case that is beyond a reasonable doubt,” said Noorin.
The couple looked stunned upon hearing the sentence before they broke down into tears in the dock.
Aaron and En were charged with murdering Adrian Teoh Wai Kit, the eldest of their two children, at premises in Regalia Business Centre, Subang Jaya between 2pm and 3.30pm on May 26, 2017.
The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same code, which provides for the mandatory death penalty if found guilty.
Aaron and En were also sentenced to eight years in jail from the date they were arrested on May 26, 2017, for another charge of abuse resulting in injuries to the victim at the same location, time and date.
For this offence, they were charged under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Child Act 2001 read together with Section 31 (5) of the same act which is punishable under Section 31 (1) of the same act.
Earlier, lawyers Tan Teck Yew and Tina Ong who represented both the accused told the court that the victim’s grandmother and aunt should be called to testify as the victim had been under their care, to see whether the boy’s injuries may have been caused by someone other than his parents.
However, Noorin said the results from the pathology laboratory confirmed that old injuries, where there were traces of rib fractures, and new injuries which caused the victim’s death, were already sufficient.
The prosecution presented 28 witnesses to the stand while the defence team presented two witnesses, namely the husband and wife who chose to testify under oath on the witness stand, throughout the trial which started in July 2019.
In her opening remarks during the trial, deputy public prosecutor Siti Fatimah Yahya told the court that the victim was beaten by his parents using a cane and a stick.
The pathologist’s testimony revealed that the cause of the boy’s death was due to extensive subcutaneous and muscle haemorrhage, due to multiple blunt force trauma.
The testimony of other prosecution witnesses such as the chemist also confirmed that there was deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) belonging to Aaron and the victim on a cane found at the scene and the CCTV recording at the premises showed En dragging the victim, who was weak and feeble, several times.
The couple were first charged at the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court on June 5, 2017.
— Bernama
