SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA: A 38-year-old storekeeper who strangled his girlfriend with her own tudung (headscarf) was sentenced to hang by the High Court here.

Shahrul Nizam Mohd Shah was found guilty yesterday of murdering Nurul Hazira Bharum, 26, after he learnt that she was going to marry another man.

He claimed that the deceased, who was his colleague, had suggested that they commit suicide together by drinking poison.

Shahrul Nizam appeared calm as Justice Mohtarudin Baki passed the sentence for killing Nurul Hazira at a house in Kampung Gombak, Kuang, Rawang on Oct 7, 2008, between 9am and 10am.

The judge said he did not believe there was a suicide pact between the couple as the statements given by the witnesses, including Nurul Hazira's fiance, did not concur with the claim.

Justice Mohtarudin added that severe force was exerted on the deceased as shown by the broken chain around her neck.

In his defence, Shahrul Nizam claimed that Nurul Hazira forced him to drink the poison first but he fainted soon after.

When he woke up, he realised that his hand was at the end of her tudung.

A post-mortem found that she had died of asphyxia caused by strangulation while a chemist report did not detect any traces of poison in her blood.

Shahrul Nizam was charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

He was represented by lawyer Azizzul Shariman Mat Yusoff while DPP Harris Ong Mohd Jeffery Ong appeared for the prosecution.