SHAH ALAM:
Nearly a week after the 3rd year anniversary of her husband’s death, the High Court today acquitted Mariayee Muthusamy @ Kandan, 54, on a charge of murdering her husband in 2016.
The housewife and mother-of-three was accused of splashing her husband with acid in his sleep, causing him to be rushed to hospital where he passed away the following day due to asphyxiation. The accused has vehemently denied these accusations. 15 witnesses were called to testify, including the couple’s youngest son who was in the family home compound when the incident took place.
The Court heard that throughout their 27 year marriage, the deceased would emotionally and physically abuse the accused. The accused was patient and would not respond aggressively as her husband hit her, threatened to end her life and threatened to throw acid on her during arguments. Witnesses also testified that the deceased would often fight with his two elder children, causing the eldest to move out immediately upon marriage. The eldest also testified that she has previously thwarted her father’s attempts at suicide via cutting with a knife or other sharp objects.
The Court found that the deceased was likely intoxicated and mentally unstable at the time of the incident and so rejected the deceased’s dying declaration that his wife splashed him with acid in his sleep. Instead, Yang Arif Mohd Yazid Haji Mustafa found that the deceased splashed himself with acid in an attempt at suicide.