Singaporean man sentenced to 72 years’ jail and 24 strokes for murdering wife and stepson in Melaka

A Singaporean man who murdered his wife and 11-year-old stepson in Melaka in 2019 has been sentenced to 72 years in prison and 24 strokes of the cane by the Melaka High Court.

On Monday (18 Aug), Judge Datuk Anselm Charles Fernandis delivered the sentence against 36-year-old Shahrul Nizam Zuraimy at the close of the defence case.

The court ordered Shahrul to serve 36 years’ imprisonment and 12 strokes of the cane for each charge, with the sentences to run consecutively from the date of his arrest on 11 October 2019.

He was convicted on two counts of murder for killing his wife, 27-year-old Norfazera Bidin, and her 11-year-old son, Muhammad Iman Ashraf Abdullah.

The killings took place at their home in Taman Merdeka Jaya, Batu Berendam, Melaka Tengah, between 6pm on 6 October and 7.30am on 7 October 2019.

Local media reported that Shahrul stabbed his wife following a heated argument when she threatened to seek a divorce. He then killed his stepson after the boy witnessed the attack.

Under Section 302 of Malaysia’s Penal Code, a murder conviction carries the death penalty or imprisonment of 30 to 40 years along with a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane.

Brutal details of the killings

Justice Fernandis noted that pathology evidence and testimony from the accused’s cousin suggested Shahrul had dismembered the victims’ bodies to prevent identification.

“The heads of both victims were carefully wrapped and hidden above the ceiling to avoid the smell and blood being detected. The accused also discarded parts of both victims’ bodies in a bushy area,” he said, as reported by the New Straits Times.

He added that Shahrul attempted to clean the house after the killings before fleeing to Singapore, where he was later arrested and extradited to Malaysia.

After reviewing testimonies from both prosecution and defence witnesses, the court found him guilty on both charges.

Family’s plea for death penalty

During the hearing, the victims’ family members urged the court to impose the death penalty, citing the brutality of the crimes and the trauma they continued to endure.

“A heartless person, so cruel to kill my daughter and grandson, he cut up their bodies like chickens,” said Norfazera’s mother, 66-year-old Fatimah Latiff.

“I want him to be sentenced to death by hanging … A life for a life, Your Honour. I want justice for my daughter and grandson,” she added.

The victim’s elder sister, Munira Bidin, told the court that Norfazera’s younger child, who was just two years old at the time of the murders, is now eight and still asks about his mother and brother.

“He is under my care and often asks about his mother and brother. So I plead for the heaviest and fairest punishment, which is hanging,” she said.

Another sister confirmed that the family intends to appeal the High Court’s decision.

Prosecution and defence arguments

Deputy Public Prosecutors Mohd Asri Abd Rahman Sidik and Nur Syazwanie Marizan pressed for the death penalty, stressing that Shahrul had betrayed his duty to protect his family.

“The accused was supposed to protect the victims, but instead killed them, including a child who was his stepson. The court must balance public interest with the severity of the cruelty committed,” they argued.

The prosecution also pointed out that although Shahrul eventually surrendered, he had initially misled the victims’ family about their whereabouts and fled to Singapore after the killings.

Defence lawyers Andrew Lourdes and Chua Yong Yi pleaded for leniency, saying Shahrul had repented and regretted his actions and should be given a second chance.

Consecutive sentences reflect crime’s gravity

In his sentencing remarks, Justice Fernandis said the consecutive nature of the prison terms reflected “the gravity and depravity” of the offences.

He emphasised that while the death penalty remained available under the law, the court had chosen imprisonment to allow for the possibility of rehabilitation, given the accused’s age and eventual surrender.

The case underscores Malaysia’s evolving approach toward sentencing in murder cases following recent reforms allowing judges discretion to impose imprisonment instead of mandatory death sentences.