Verdict
KUALA LUMPUR: Muhammad Wan Azhar Azman, a former fast food worker, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing a Honda Civic and attempting to murder its co-owner in Putrajaya last October.
Sessions Court Judge Izralizam Sanusi convicted Wan Azhar of stealing the car and recklessly driving it, endangering the life of Mohamed Jalil Iskandar, 28, who had clung to the bonnet of the car before being violently thrown off and injured.
Wan Azhar was sentenced to 10 years for attempted murder and 4 years for theft, both sentences to run concurrently. The judge took into account the seriousness of the crime and the victim’s ongoing medical treatment.
Judge’s Comments and Defendant’s Request
“The victim was seriously injured and spent five days in ICU,” the judge stated. “Had he died, you would have faced a charge of murder.”
Wan Azhar, who was unrepresented, pleaded for leniency, citing his youth and plans for the future. However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Nor Aisyah Mohamed Zanyuin asked for the maximum 20-year sentence, stating that the defendant’s actions were selfish and reckless.
Incident Details
The crime occurred on October 22 when the car owner, Joshua Jeyaseelan David, 30, rented the vehicle to Wan Azhar’s girlfriend. When she failed to return the car, Joshua used a GPS tracker to find it in Putrajaya, where it was being driven by Wan Azhar.
Jalil tried to stop the car, but Wan Azhar reversed into him, forcing him to cling to the bonnet. Jalil was eventually thrown off the car and suffered injuries. Wan Azhar was arrested on October 25 and later led authorities to the vehicle, which was located at a public housing complex in Presint 5.
