A 62-year-old British housewife was charged at the Magistrate’s Court today with murdering her husband at their house at Kampung Gelam in Langkawi two weeks ago.
Samantha Ann Jones had arrived at the court complex at noon in a police car escorted by female police personnel.
No plea was taken from Samantha, who appeared calm in the dock. She nodded to indicate that she understood the charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which was read in English to her before magistrate Adibah Husna Zainal Abidin.
She was alleged to have murdered her husband, John William Jones, 62, between 1am and 3am on Oct 18. The charge under the section carries the death penalty upon conviction.
Adibah fixed Nov 29 for further mention of the case following the request of deputy public prosecutor Jayniesa Lavang Jarit for a new date as the forensic and post-mortem reports related to the case had yet to be received.
Defence counsel Sangeet Kaur Deo, who represented Samantha, did not object to the request.
The case is expected to be transferred to the High Court.
According to British news reports, the suspect reportedly told police she stabbed her husband in self-defence after suffering years of domestic abuse and violence at his hands.
She alleged grabbed a knife from their kitchen and stabbed him.
A police officer reportedly said a 12-inch knife was found covered in blood stains in the married couple’s bedroom.
The knife is believed to be the alleged murder weapon.
Sangeet said that Jones was “very, very overwhelmed” and grieved for her husband.