Plantation worker freed of daughter's murder

An oil palm plantation worker was freed by the High Court here today on a charge of murdering his 11-month-old daughter on grounds of unsound mind.

High Court judge Datuk Ab Karim Ab Rahman acquitted Mohd Aswadey Ismail, 31, of the charge after finding that the accused was of unsound mind when the offence was committed and did not know that what he did was wrong.

However, he ordered Mohd Aswadey to be sent to Hospital Permai, Johor Bahru for treatment and to be held there at the pleasure of the Sultan of Pahang.

Mohd Aswadey was charged with murdering his daughter, Nur Amirah, between 9.30pm and 10.30pm at their house in Felda Sungai Panching Selatan here on Nov 16, 2012.

He was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carried the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Khalmizah Salleh prosecuted, while Mohd Aswadey was represented by lawyer Syed Azimal Syed Abu Bakar.