PETALING JAYA: A 39-year-old fishmonger who hit his wife in a fit of rage after reading text messages in her phone paid the price when a Magistrate’s Court here sentenced him to a month in jail and fined him RM1,000.
VN Loganathan was charged with using criminal force on G. Anita Davi, 36, at an apartment unit in Damansara Damai at about 2pm on Jan 18.
The charge under Section 352A of the Penal Code carries a jail term which may extend to six months, a maximum RM2,000 fine or both, upon conviction.
He pleaded guilty after the charge was read out before magistrate M. Barath here yesterday.
Loganathan, who was unrepresented, asked for leniency as he was the sole breadwinner of the family.
“My three children aged 14,12 and six are still schooling. I only sell fish for a living. My wife is jobless, ” he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Shanur Farrahin Shapri urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence to serve as a lesson.
The magistrate also ordered Loganathan to serve another month in jail if he failed to pay the fine.
According to the statement of facts, Loganathan and his wife got into an argument after he saw messages from a male friend on her phone.
He became angry and hit the back of his wife’s head and hands. She then left the house and lodged a police report.
