PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia – The Federal Court reaffirmed the death sentence of a former security guard convicted for the brutal murder of his two co-workers. Mohd Ferdaus Suwardi’s appeal against his conviction and death sentence was dismissed by a three-member bench. The court upheld the death penalty, citing the merciless and gruesome nature of the crime.
The judges maintained that Mohd Ferdaus failed to prove the balance of probability that he was legally insane when he committed the crime. The High Court had sentenced Mohd Ferdaus to death after he was found guilty of killing his co-workers at a chicken processing factory seven years ago. The Court of Appeal had also previously dismissed his appeal.
According to the facts of the case, Mohd Ferdaus returned to his village after the murders and confessed to his mother. He admitted to the killings but pleaded insanity under Section 84 of the Penal Code. However, the judge found that he failed to prove the defense of insanity.
In the appeal, Mohd Ferdaus’s lawyer sought a reduced sentence, while the deputy public prosecutor urged the court to maintain the death penalty. She emphasized the exceptionally cruel nature of the attacks, stating that the victims suffered multiple injuries and were attacked while they were asleep.
The defense argued for a custodial sentence, but the court declined to invoke its discretion, leading to the affirmation of the death penalty. Mohd Ferdaus, 37, is set to face the consequences of his heinous crime.