Woman jailed 8 months for slashing mother-in-law over accusation of infidelity
SINGAPORE — She was giving her mother-in-law a massage when the latter asked the 23-year-old woman whether she was having an affair.
Enraged, Nurul Natasha Sazali punched the 68-year-old victim’s face several times before slashing her twice with a chopper in December last year.
At the State Courts on Friday (24 May), Nurul was jailed for 8 months after pleading guilty to one charge of causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.
She also admitted to one charge each of causing hurt and criminal intimidation involving the same victim, which were considered in sentencing.
Husband suspected affair
On 15 December last year, Nurul’s husband Ahmad Haji Shahul Hameed, 25, told his mother Fatimah Kalanthar Mastan to talk to Nurul as he suspected that she may have cheated on him with another man, Deputy Public Prosecutor Ng Jun Chong told the court.
Later, while Nurul was giving her mother-in-law a massage, the older woman confronted her. The mother-in-law asked Nurul if her son “was not good enough for her (Nurul) and if one husband was not enough for her”, said DPP Ng.
“The victim also brought up the accused’s past case with the police and blamed the accused for losing the victim’s and (her son’s) NRICs,” he added, without elaborating.
Nurul punched her mother-in-law’s face a few times in anger, causing the older woman’s lip to bleed.
The younger woman then grabbed a 30-cm long chopper from the kitchen and confronted the victim.
Nurul shouted “you better die la” at the victim before slashing her back twice.
The victim managed to grab hold of the chopper and tossed it aside. She then ran out of the house.
Nurul’s husband followed his mother and called the police shortly after.
Nurul’s mother-in-law suffered cuts to her left index and middle fingers, left forearm, on her upper back and over her right shoulder. She was warded for two days and given 14 days of hospitalisation leave.
A government psychiatrist found that Nurul had no mental illness but had anger management issues.
It is not known if the infidelity accusation by Nurul’s husband was proven. The couple are still married.
Nurul will begin her sentence on 7 June. She is out on bail of $15,000 posted by her husband.
The maximum punishment for causing hurt with a dangerous weapon is up to seven years’ jail along with a fine. Male offenders below 50 are also liable to caning.
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