Shah alam: The Shah Alam High Court today sentenced Muhammad Danial Iman Mohd Sharif to 16 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to causing the death of his two-month-old baby girl four years ago. The sentence was handed down by Judge Datuk Aslam Zainuddin, with the prison term commencing from the date of the accused's arrest in July 2022.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the grounds of judgment were released on January 15, wherein Judge Aslam emphasized that public interest is a paramount factor in sentencing for any criminal case. Although Muhammad pleaded guilty unconditionally, he has filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, expressing dissatisfaction with the sentence.

The incident occurred at the accused's home in Bandar Tasik Puteri, Rawang, between July 30, 2022, and July 31, 2022. Charged under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code, Muhammad faced a potential maximum prison sentence of 30 years and a possible fine.

Details of the case revealed that an argument between Muhammad and his wife on July 29, 2022, escalated into a physical altercation. After throwing his wife's mobile phone, she went to sleep, leaving the baby with Muhammad in the living room. The accused then picked up the infant and slammed her down, causing her upper body to hit the floor, resulting in her crying.

The following day, the baby continued to cry unusually, prompting concern from the mother. On July 31, 2022, Muhammad again assaulted the baby, yanking her hand, pressing her stomach, and slamming her onto a cushion, causing her head to strike the corner of a table. This resulted in bleeding lips and shallow breathing.

The accused claimed the baby had "fallen," but investigations determined the cause of death to be intracranial hemorrhage due to blunt force trauma inflicted by Muhammad. The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Siti Nabilah Abd Rashid, while the defense was represented by lawyer Santhakumari.