KUALA LUMPUR: A man known as 'Ustaz Casanova' who had 13 marriages was sentenced to a years' jail and 6 strokes of the rotan by the Syariah High Court today.
Mohd Razis Ismail, who had on Feb 29 pleaded guilty to the offence, appeared calm when the judge passed the sentence on him.
In handing down the sentence, Syarie judge Nassir Abdul Aziz said what the accused did had caused the public to have a negative perception towards those who carry out Islamic teachings.
"The accused had adopted the image of an 'Ustaz' (religious teacher) to deceive women, until he was given the title which is embarrassing to the religion," he said.
The judge added that the accused had admitted to the element of the offence and was therefore is guilty.
The judge said the man's action also led to a woman becoming pregnant out of wedlock in 2012.
"Furthermore, he was conscious when he committed the offence and was aware of the effects of his actions," he said.
The offence under Sections 23(1) of the Syariah Criminal offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 states that any man who commits sexual intercourse with a woman who is not his lawful wife shall be guilty.
"The sentence must serve as a lesson to the accused so that he will regret and repent. It is also as a lesson to the public so that they will not commit the same offence," he said adding that unlawful sexual intercourse is a serious offence.
On Feb 29, the father of eight pleaded guilty to committing adultery with a 40-year-old woman and having a child out of wedlock with her.
He admitted to have committed the offence at a hotel, here, between March and May 2012.
According to the facts of the case, the woman had filed for marriage confirmation, but on June 28, 2011, the Syariah Lower Court here decided that their marriage was invalid.
The court had also ordered them to be separated and sentenced the woman to three months' jail and six strokes of the rotan
Razis, who was unrepresented, had in his mitigation said he earns a meagre salary, selling health drinks and has eight children to feed.
He was ordered to serve his sentence from the date he was arrested on Feb 29.
Federal Territories Senior Syarie prosecutor Zainor Rashid Hassin prosecuted said the accused had 13 marriages from 2003 to 2015 with 13 different women.
Before the lower court, Razis was also supposed to be sentenced for five charges of unsanctioned polygamy attempts but his sentencing was postponed to March 14.
Lower Court judge Mohd Saifullah Hamzah fixed the date to review the submissions by the prosecutor on the accused's mitigation.
Razis had on the same day pleaded guilty to three counts of attempted polygamy without the court's permission with three
other women, aged 24, 35, and 30 as well as two other charges.
He also admitted to marrying the 24-year-old and 40-year-old women without the court registrar's permission on April 4, 2010 and May 26, 2012.
He committed the offence at three different locations, namely in Kedah; Golok, Thailand and a flat in Jalan Loke Yew, here, between April 4, 2010 and Aug 26, 2012.