Ex-court interpreter jailed for stabbing wife, leaving 24 lacerations
A former freelance court interpreter was jailed for six months on Monday after he stabbed his wife in the arm, buttocks and back, leaving her with multiple lacerations.
Hamid Ibrahim, 73, pleaded guilty to one count of voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.
Hamid, who was a freelance Bahasa Indonesia interpreter, was taking a shower in November 2018 when his 66-year-old wife picked up his mobile phone and went through his text messages.
She believed he was messaging women he was romantically interested in, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sunil Nair said.
When Hamid went to the kitchen, his wife questioned him about the chat messages.
He insisted the women were his clients and the couple argued.
Hamid lost his temper and used an empty pail to hit his wife on the head until it broke into pieces.
He then took a kitchen knife and stabbed her 13 times on her left arm, six times on her left buttock, and five times on her back.
The knife had a blade that was 16cm long.
He then dropped the knife and walked out of the kitchen and called the police.
His wife was taken to Sengkang General Hospital with 24 lacerations.
The cuts on her body were about 2cm to 4cm in length.
Court documents also stated that Hamid's wife did not physically retaliate when her husband was attacking her.
His lawyer, Mr T. M. Sinnadurai, said Hamid attacked her in a moment of emotional aggression.
Hamid, who is still with his wife and is now self-employed, has four children and had been working as an interpreter for 20 years.
Mr Sinnadurai said his client had joined a counselling programme and attended counselling sessions at Raffles Hospital.
For voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon, Hamid could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined.
He cannot be caned as he is over 50.
Hamid filed an appeal against his sentence yesterday and is no longer represented.
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