Malaysian gets 4 years in jail

JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court yesterday sentenced Malaysian G. Charanjit Singh, alias Gian Singh, 27, to four years in jail after finding him guilty of killing his female companion, Wati, at the Sahid Jaya Hotel on Oct. 15 last year.

The team of judges, led by HM Dalail, found Singh guilty of strangling Wati following sexual intercourse on Oct. 15 in the hotel. Singh said he was upset and panicked when Wati kept insisting that he marry her.

HM Dalail said the sentence was two years lighter than that demanded by the prosecutors because the defendant had shown good conduct during the trial, he was comparatively young, and his apology had been accepted by the victim's family.

Singh wept and looked repentant when the verdict was read out. Didi Syamsuddin, a member of his team of lawyers, said that they will consider an appeal. (26)