KOTA KINABALU, Feb. 13 -- A 33-year-old personal assistant of an international firm was sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of a salesgirl three years ago.

Justice Datuk Alexander Siew How Wai imposed the capital punishment on Chung King Fung @ Haider Daniel Chung Abdullah after he pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

The offence carries the death penalty or imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years and, if not sentenced to death, a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane for male offenders under the age of 50.

Chung admitted to killing 21-year-old Nurul Ain Silien at a shop in a shopping complex here on May 29, 2023. He entered the guilty plea on February 9, the day the trial was scheduled to begin.

In his...