A couple sentenced to 12 months in prison for committing a sordid act at a Chinese cemetery in Penang have filed an appeal, arguing the sentence was excessive.
George Town: A couple, sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment by a magistrate court here for committing sordid acts in a graveyard last Sunday, have filed an appeal in the High Court challenging their sentence.
The appeal was lodged yesterday by his lawyer Datuk Narayan Singh, who is seeking a review of the sentence on the grounds that it is excessive.
“I have filed an appeal to review the sentence because 12 months’ imprisonment is too much for him,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.
On Thursday, Magistrate Nadartun Naeem Mohammed Sayeedi sentenced M Jegathesan, 58, and Halila Abu Bakar, 37, after they pleaded guilty to the charges.
They were jointly charged with gross indecency at a Chinese cemetery in Batu Gantung, Ayer Itam on March 22 at 8.30am.
The offense under section 377D of the Penal Code, read with section 34, carries a maximum prison sentence of two years if convicted.
As per the facts of the case, the incident came to light when a video went viral on Facebook in which two men were seen misbehaving in a graveyard.
A complainant who watched the clip was directed by the cemetery management to lodge a police report, prompting further investigation.
The case gained widespread public attention after a 38-second video circulated online, showing the couple confronting a woman who warned them that she would report the incident to the authorities.
