After a 16-year-long trial, the Session Judge of Bishnupur, Manipur on Thursday sentenced two persons to rigorous life imprisonment for committing culpable homicide jointly amounting to murder in Wahengbam Laksha Singh murder case.
The convicts, 67-year-old Ningthoujam Kumar Singh and 56-year-old Ningthoujam Yaima Singh, both residents of Thanga Karang Chingjeng, Bishnupur district, were sent to Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa.
They were produced before the court for sentence hearing wherein Session Judge of Bishnupur, W Tonen, sentenced them to rigorous imprisonment for life and slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 each.
While pronouncing the judgment, Sessions Judge W Tonen Meitei stated that he was of the view that the accused N Kumar caught hold of the victim W Laksha Singh and N Yaima stabbed him in his neck by using a knife, about 12-and-half inches long, having a wooden handle. Thus, they committed culpable homicide amounting to murder jointly, he added.
Ningthoujam Kumar and Ningthoujam Yaima murdered Wahengbam Laksha by cutting the victim's throat with a knife while watching Lai Haraoba at Karang Khuman Pokpa Laibung at around 10 pm on June 26, 2006 under Moirang police station, the court stated.
During the sentence hearing, additional PP submitted that the offence is a serious one and prayed that the convicts be awarded maximum punishment. On the other hand, the defence counsel submitted that the present offence or crime is the first in the lives of both the convicts and they are having their own families. The defence counsel prayed the court to award minimum punishment to both the convicts.
It was further submitted that Ningthoujam Kumar Singh is a diabetes and BP patient while Ningthoujam Yaima Singh is also suffering from jaundice. The defence counsel prayed the court for giving direction to the Superintendent, MCJ, Sajiwa to provide medical facilities to the two convicts.
After hearing the submission, the court sentenced both the convicts to rigorous imprisonment for life and slapped a fine of Rs 5,000 each. The court also directed Superintendent, Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa to ensure that the convicts are provided medical aid from time to time so that they can live with good health.
It may be mentioned that the convicts were arrested on July 1, 2006. During interrogation, convicts admitted that they murdered Laksha with a knife near Karang Khumanpokpa Laibung on June 26, 2006.
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