KUALA LUMPUR: Two years ago, a youth under remand in Kajang Prison assaulted his cellmate over what was believed to have been a tussle to dominate the prison cell.

The victim sustained severe injuries on the neck as well as internally and died on the way to Kajang Hospital.

Yesterday, the attacker, Numal Hakim, who was 19 at the time of the incident, was sentenced to 10 years' jail by the Ampang Sessions Court for culpable homicide not amounting to murder of 17-year-old Biak Hmung. Both are Myanmar nationals.

The jail term begins from the date of his arrest on Dec 5, 2006.

Numal initially pleaded not guilty when charged with culpable homicide of Biak Hmung using a blunt weapon, but changed his plea midway through trial.
The offence was committed at Room 4, Block D, juvenile detention centre of the Kajang Prison, about 10pm on July 6, 2006.

Numal was then remanded while awaiting trial for a gang robbery case at the Shah Alam Sessions Court.

Biak Hmung was his cellmate.

According to the facts, the victim died after being kicked and hit with blunt objects.

In passing the sentence, judge Noradidah Ahmad said the court took a serious view of such cases often highlighted in the media.

"We hear of such cases frequently, involving death over trivial matters."

She said although the murder weapon, said to be a blunt object was not found, the injuries sustained by the victim could have been inflicted through Numal's blows.

She added that the court had also taken into consideration Numal's probation report and the fact that he had pleaded guilty.

In mitigation, counsel Noor Azah Azizan urged the court for a lenient sentence as the accused was a youth when he committed the offence.