GEORGE TOWN: A 42-year-old man was sentenced to the gallows today by the High Court for torching his wife to death three years ago.

Chiam Nguang Huat, who is unemployed, was convicted of murdering his wife, Lai Siew Fong, by setting her on fire at their home in Taman Bayu Mutiara, Seberang Prai Tengah at 4pm on June 24 2013.

He was charged with murdering his 36-year-old wife in front of their two children at that time.

Judicial Commissioner Datuk Nordin Hassan said the court arrived at the decision after taking into account the testimonies from the prosecution and defence.

In his judgement, Nordin said the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt to prove that Chiam was innocent.

“The court also accepted the testimonies from both children. “Chiam went to Kuala Lumpur following the incident and did not even try to visit his wife,” he said. Norden said the accused had showed a pattern of violence by constantly beating up Lai and had even asked his wife to lend him RM10,000.

Chiam, clad in a red shirt and khakis pants, remained calm when the interpreter told him in Chinese that he was about to be hanged.

He turned to nod at his family in the dock immediately and showed no emotion upon learning of the death sentence.-nst