GEORGE TOWN: A 33 year-old engineer charged with murdering his girlfriend on Valentine's Day three years ago has been sentenced to death.
High Court Judicial Commissioner Collin Lawrence Sequerah said the accused, Cheong Teik Keon, was found guilty of killing Tan Ching Chin, 24, a clerk.
Cheong was accused of committing the offence against Tan at her home at No. 2703, Taman Hwa Seng, Jalan Rozhan, Alma, in Bukit Mertajam at about 8.40am on Feb 14, 2013.
In sending Cheong to the gallows, Collin said the defence had failed to prove that Cheong was of unsound mind at the time of the offence.
"An email written by Cheong five hours before the incident showed that he was not of unsound mind, and I am unable to find the accused's mind so impaired as to not be able to differentiate between what is wrong and what is right.
"There is no other option in this case than to pass a sentence of mandatory death," he said in a lengthy judgement.
Clad in a long-sleeved white shirt, trousers and slippers, Cheong appeared subdued in the dock when a court interpreter conveyed the judgement to him.
He was represented by Ramkarpal Singh and Muhammad Arif Shaharuddin, while deputy public prosecutor Lim Cheah Yit prosecuted.
Ramkarpal stood up at the end of the judgement to protest the death sentence for his client and said he would file an appeal.