Woman, brother to serve 33 years in jail for blind husband’s murder

 Federal Court dismisses their final appeal, saying the circumstantial evidence irresistibly points to them having committed the crime.

In 2024, the Court of Appeal substituted the death penalty imposed on S Angela Dewi and her brother Vijaya with a custodial sentence for the murder of her husband, R Devarajoo. (Bernama pic)

PUTRAJAYA:

 A woman and her brother will serve out their 33-year jail term for the murder of her blind husband at a village in Kajang five years ago, after the Federal Court dismissed their appeal against conviction and sentence.

A three-member bench chaired by Justice Rhodzariah Bujang said the circumstantial evidence in the case irresistibly pointed to S Angela Dewi, 49, and her brother, Vijaya, 45, having committed the crime.

“The decision of the Court of Appeal to impose the jail term against the two remains,” said Rhodzariah, who sat with Justices Nazlan Ghazali and Collin Lawrence Sequerah.

The duo committed the offence on R Devarajoo, 59, at a house in the PKNS low-cost housing area at Kampung Baru Sungai Chua, Kajang, at about noon on Oct 1, 2020.

It was reported that Angela had told police there had been a robbery at her home, and that her husband, who ran a transportation and scrap metal business, had been hit on the head.

Police were quoted as saying their investigation revealed that the incident may have been linked to issues surrounding the inheritance of assets.

In 2024, the Court of Appeal substituted the death penalty imposed by the High Court a year earlier with a custodial sentence.

Angela was ordered to begin her jail term on Oct 10, 2020, and Vijaya a week later.

Vijaya was also ordered to be given a minimum 10 strokes of the rotan as he is below 50 years of age. Women are spared the punishment of whipping.

Lawyers M Manoharan, S Subramaniam and B Sarathbala appeared for Angela and Vijaya, while deputy public prosecutor Siti Rafidah Zainuddin represented the prosecution. - FMT