Case Title: Pendakwa Raya v. Arumugam a/l Subramaniam and Pendakwa Raya v. Steven Lim Beng Chuan
Facts of the Case:
Date & Location: The incident happened around 1991 in Malaysia.
The two accused—Arumugam a/l Subramaniam and Steven Lim Beng Chuan—along with two other unidentified accomplices, broke into a house around dawn.
The victims were a married couple with a 1 year 4-month-old daughter.
What Happened:
The group tied up the husband, beat him, and robbed the house.
The wife was gang-raped by all four intruders in full view of her husband and child.
The acts were extremely inhuman, degrading, and violent.
Trial Court Decision:
Both accused were found guilty of gang robbery and rape.
However, the Sessions Court (initial trial court) gave what many viewed as a light sentence:
10 years in prison
8 strokes of the cane
Shockingly, the accused were reported to have laughed and joked in the dock after the sentence was read.
Court of Appeal Decision:
The Prosecution appealed, arguing the sentence was manifestly inadequate for such a brutal crime.
The Court of Appeal agreed and enhanced the sentence:
35 years in prison
24 strokes of the cane