An e-hailing driver was sentenced in the Shah Alam High Court today to 17 years’ jail for causing the death of his girlfriend’s three-year-old son in 2020.
B Jeetendraj, 31, pleaded guilty to an amended charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, Bernama reported.
Justice Julia Ibrahim ordered the prison term to run from the date of arrest on Aug 22, 2020.
Jeetendraj’s counsel, Kee Wei Lon, said the court took into consideration several mitigating factors, such as the accused’s age, his remorse, and guilty plea.
He said the Attorney-General’s Chambers had accepted his client’s representations, resulting in the original charge of murder being amended to one of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Jeetendraj was accused of causing the death of U Varunesh at an apartment on Jalan Kenanga in Kampung Sungai Kayu Ara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, at about 11.45pm on Aug 21, 2020.
The boy had been placed under his care while his mother was out buying food. A short while later, Jeetendraj contacted her to tell her the child was unconscious.
The child, who was found unresponsive and wet in a bedroom, and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
A post-mortem revealed that he had sustained multiple injuries to the head, face and body, consistent with blunt force trauma.
Kee said he appealed to the court to consider his client’s youth and potential for rehabilitation, urging the court to give him an opportunity to reform.
He also submitted that his client had demonstrated consistent remorse and an early intention to admit guilt.
Kee noted the guilty plea followed the third representations to the AGC, after two earlier submissions had been rejected.
He said deputy public prosecutor Maizatul Munirah Abdul Rahman had suggested a prison term of between 12 and 18 years as appropriate.
Jeetendraj was also represented by counsel Siti Summaiyah Ahmad Jaafar and Ee Gen You during the proceedings.
