KOTA TINGGI: A lorry driver who voluntarily caused grievous hurt by stabbing his four family members with a long machete was today sentenced to 15 years' jail and to be given eight strokes of the cane by the Sessions Court here for the offence.

Judge Norsiah Ujang meted out the sentence on Mohd Hadi Hashim, 38, who pleaded guilty to four counts of the voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon.

He was sentenced to 15 years jail and two strokes of the cane on each count, with the jail sentences to be served concurrently from the date of his arrest on April 20 last year.

Mohd Hadi was charged with committing the offence on his mother-in-law Puasa Yasik, 57, wife Norwahida Rosli, 33; sister-in-law Norwadiha Rosli, 32; and brother-in-law Mohamad Amirul Iskandar Kamaruzaman, 16.

The offences were committed at a house in Jalan Siakap 5, Kampung Sedili Kecil, here at about 7.45 pm last April 14.

The charges were framed under Section 326 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, read together with Section 326 (A) of the same law, which provides an imprisonment for a term which may extend to twice of the maximum term for which he would have been liable on conviction for that offence.

Meanwhile, during mitigation, lawyer Nurshuhadah Mahzan from the National Legal Aid Foundation, representing Mohd Hadi, told the court that her client, who had just returned from work, lost his temper when pressed by his mother-in-law over some money amounting to RM4,000.

However, she said, Mohd Hadi regretted his action and surrendered himself at the Kulai district police headquarters on April 20.

Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Irsyad Mardi requested the court to impose an appropriate sentence considering that the action by the accused involved life and of public interest.

-- BERNAMA