KUALA LUMPUR: A secondhand shop worker who was earlier charged with murdering a man, was sentenced to 17 years in jail by the High Court here today for causing the death of a colleague with disabilities three years ago.

Judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin handed down the punishment on A. Raventiran, 40, after he pleaded guilty to the charge and ordered the jail sentence to commence from the date of his arrest on Oct 31 2019.

The accused was earlier charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the death penalty but the court later amended the charge under Section 304 (a) of the same code which carries a maximum of 30 years in jail and is liable to a fine.

According to the amended charge, Raventiran was charged with intent to cause the death of R.Vijaya Kumar, 47, at a location in Jalan Sungai Besi, Cheras here between 1.30 am to 12.34 pm on Oct 31, 2019.

In the proceeding, the prosecution was led by deputy public prosecutor Annur Atiqah Abd Hadi while counsel Stanley Clement Augustine represented the accused.

Thirteen prosecution witnesses were called to testify in the trial which began on May 3, 2021.

-- BERNAMA