PUTRAJAYA: After spending 24 years behind bars awaiting the gallows, Teh Hock Leong can now breathe a sigh of relief after the Federal Court has commuted his death sentence to 30 years in jail.
Shah Alam High Court sentenced Teh to the gallows after he was found guilty of drug trafficking at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in 2003.
He failed in his appeal to set aside the sentence to the Court of Appeal and Federal Court on May 14, 2008, and Oct 23, 2009, respectively.
Today, a three-member panel Apex Court chaired by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat commuted his sentence under the Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act.
Two other judges were Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah and Federal Court judge Datuk Nordin Hassan.
Teh's lawyer Guok Ngek Seong said his client, who has been in prison since 1999, should be freed to go home, taking into account the one-third remission for good behaviour in prison.
Teh was among seven men including two Thai national who saw their death sentences substituted with life imprisonment of 30 years from the date of their arrests.
The four local inmates who saw their respective death sentences commuted to life imprisonment are Mohd Salleh Yunos, Wan Marzuki Wan Abdullah, Wan Mohd Azman Hassan, and Nazarrimi Sahib.
The Thai duo – Ouseng Same Ae and Mama Sobri Useng, also shared the same fate.
The court also ordered Nazarrimi and Wan Mazuki to each receive 12 strokes of the cane since they were under 50 years old.
Meanwhile, the court also commuted the natural life imprisonment of four other inmates – Zulkipli Arshad, Wan Yuriihami Wan Yaacob, Ghazalee Kasim, and Mohamad Junaidi Hussin to a 30-year life sentence.
Attorney General's Chambers (Appellate and Trial Division) head Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar did not object to the applications.
The Federal Court's decision stems from the enactment of the Abolition of Mandatory Death Penalty Act on July 4.
Under the new law, judges can choose between the death penalty or a prison term ranging from 30 to 40 years.
If not sentenced to death, male convicts under 50 years of age may also face a whipping punishment of not less than 12 strokes.