A five-member bench chaired by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat ordered the prison term of Ya’cob Demyati to start from Jan 4, 2000, the date of his arrest.
However, the 57-year-old would be freed today after taking into account a one-third remission of the sentence normally granted to prisoners with jail terms, his lawyer Che Muji Che Noh said.
Also on the review panel were Chief Judge of Malaya Zabidin Diah, and Federal Court judges Hasnah Hashim, Nordin Hassan and Abu Bakar Jais.
Ya’cob’s application was filed pursuant to the Revision of the Sentence of Death and Imprisonment for Natural Life (Temporary Jurisdiction of the Federal Court) Act 2023.
Ya’cob, who was originally sentenced to death by the Seremban High Court on April 10, 2002, saw his murder conviction and sentence upheld by the Court of Appeal on Aug 29, 2008.
On Nov 2, 2010, the Federal Court upheld the death sentence, although it was commuted by the Pardons Board to a natural life prison term two years later.
Ya’cob filed for a review of his sentence by the Federal Court under the 2023 Act, which gives the courts the option to substitute a natural life term with a prison sentence of between 30 and 40 years.
In court today, deputy public prosecutor Nahra Dolah proposed a prison term of no less than 35 years.
“The career of an upcoming singer was cut short when his life was taken away,” she submitted.
Che Muji, assisted by Nur Asnani Basharudin, argued for a 30-year term on the grounds her client was remorseful.
The review panel also took into consideration Ya’cob’s service to the king and country. He was attached to the escort branch of Kuala Lumpur police headquarters and had served as a bodyguard to two kings.
Further, it was argued that the murder was a crime of passion.
According to the facts of the case, Ya’cob murdered Along at the roadside, at KM28 of Jalan Kuala Klawang-Genting Peras, Jelebu, at 1am on Dec 26, 1999.
Along was reported missing on Dec 25, 1999, and police later found a human skeleton tied in a sack at the same location on Jan 6, 2000.
During the trial, it was also revealed that the crime took place as Ya’cob was jealous of Along’s relationship with a woman.