Corpun file 12240

Straits Times, Singapore, 2 November 1956

3 years' jail for hatchet youth

KHOTA BHARU, Thurs. -- A Malay youth attacked an elderly man with an axe at a land dispute inquiry before an Assistant District Commissioner, the Sessions Court here was told today.

Wan Mustapha bin Wan Mohamed, 22, was jailed for three years for assaulting Omar bin Bulat, 55, with a dangerous weapon.

Wan Mustapha was also ordered to be given 10 strokes of the rotan.

The Deputy Public Prosecutor, Tuan Syed Hamzah, told the court president, Tuan Haji Mohamed Noor bin Mohamed, that the incident happened on Oct. 8 at Pasir Mas.

Too prevalent

Wan Mustapha was said to be related to one of the parties in the land dispute, in which Omar was a witness for the opposing side.

Passing sentence, the court president said that the use of axes and hatchets was still far too prevalent in Kelantan.

He hoped that the heavy sentence he had passed would be a deterrent to others.