PUTRAJAYA: A former storekeeper convicted of the murder of a close female friend by stabbing her seven times due to jealousy escaped the noose after the Federal Court today commuted the death sentence to 33 years in jail.
A three-judge panel chaired by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat ordered Ooi Ai Peng, 46, to serve the jail term from the date of her arrest from March 13, 2010.
It came after the judges allowed Ooi's application made under the Revision of Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act.
Defence counsel T. Jayaraj had asked the court to set aside the death sentence as his client has served 14-years jail for the offence.
However, deputy public prosecutor Tetralina Ahmed Fauzi objected and urged that a jail term of at least 33 years needed to be imposed on the accused.
In 2011, Ooi was convicted of murder by the Alor Star High Court for killing Suhana Mohd Sharif, 26, outside a premises in Taman Kristal Mergong at about 9.30pm on March 3, 2010.
Suhana was stabbed seven times before she was declared dead at the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital at about 11.35pm on the same day.
In an attempted suicide, Ooi tried to stab herself and slit her wrist.
Both of them, who were colleagues at a stationery shop, were believed to have been involved in a misunderstanding before an argument ensued.
Ooi's appeal was dismissed by the Court of Appeal and Federal Court in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
