1 year’s jail for duo who committed lewd acts in cemetery

2026-03-26 - 04:11

Halila Abu Bakar and M Jegathesan being escorted by police to the George Town magistrates’ court. GEORGE TOWN: A man and woman have been sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to committing gross indecency at the Batu Gantong Chinese cemetery last Sunday. Magistrate Nadratun Naim Saidi ordered M Jegathesan, 58, and Halila Abu Bakar, 37, to start serving their jail term from the date of their arrest on March 23. They were charged with carrying out acts of gross indecency at the Chinese cemetery on March 22. The charge, under Section 377D of the Penal Code, carries a jail term of up to two years upon conviction. Deputy public prosecutor Lau Shavin asked the court to impose a deterrent sentence to warn the public against committing indecent acts. She said the severity of the crime was double as Halila was not Jegathesan’s wife. Lawyer R Purantharan meanwhile asked for a lighter sentence for both, saying Jegathesan was the breadwinner of his family and had to care for two children and his wife, a stroke patient. He added that Halila was an unemployed single supported by her family.