There are a number of possible reasons as to why battered wives didn’t choose to leave their abusive husbands. Some stayed in the hope that their husbands will change. Some don’t want to see their children grow up without a father. Some fear that their husbands will hunt them down and kill them or harm their kids or loved ones. Some had their self-worth reduced to zero that they thought they won’t survive out there without their husbands. For some, getting a divorce is out of the question, whether due to religion or pride. It is not known which one of these was the reason why 46-year-old G didn’t leave her abusive husband, instead chose to endure years of  physical abuse by him, only to snap in 2001 after 10 children and 19 years of marriage.

On 18 April 2001, G’s 43-year-old husband fell extremely ill and was rushed to the hospital. As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to the ICU on 08 May 2001 where he eventually succumbed to his illness 5 days later.

What a bummer for G. But she had no time to dwell much on the loss because after 19 years the now unemployed widow got 10 children to feed and take care of. That is such a big feat. The assurance of support from her family gave her some comfort that she could do it.

G was ready to pick up the pieces and move on. But na-ah, not so fast. Hospital staff were bugged by the way G’s husband died, sensing that something was off. An autopsy was done on the deceased and it was stated in the report that he had died due to renal / respiratory failure, and their suspicion was confirmed, the deceased was poisoned.

Well, like in any other murder cases, the police will first look at 3 persons – the spouse / significant other, the last person who saw the victim alive and the person who found the body. In this case, all 3 pointed to the same person – the supposedly grieving wife, G.

G was brought in for interrogation where she immediately confessed. G told about the years of physical abuse she endured in the hands of her alcoholic husband. He would beat, strangle and burn G with a lighted cigarette. He had also stabbed her on the neck with a Keris (traditional dagger). The last straw that broke the camel’s back was when the husband began to beat up their children. It was at that point that G became determined that the abuse needed to stop. Good for her for finally taking a stand, but if only she had chosen a less criminal way to achieve that.

The plan to poison her husband was set in motion on 14 April 2001, when G instructed her 14-year-old son to get rat poison that would be mixed into her husband’s alcoholic drink. According to G, the poison was meant to get her husband sick and not meant to kill him. Well lady, the skull and crossbones symbol on poison bottles is there for a reason – poison kills people.

On 18 April 2001, the son informed G that he could not find rat poison but was able to find weed killer. By this time, G got a lot of time to change her mind, but no, they proceeded to mix the poison into the alcoholic drink bottles and tucked the bottles neatly back into the cabinet. It would be hours before her husband would get home from work but still G and the son didn’t entertain any second thought about their plan.

In the evening, the husband came back from work and went straight to the cabinet to take out the alcohol drink. G just watched as her husband consumed the poison. He did mention to G that the alcohol tasted different but continued drinking.

After her confession, G was ordered to undergo mental evaluation. Eventhough she pleaded guilty, being assessed as having an unsound mind would help take out some years in her jail sentence. She also underwent medical examination where she was found to have some injuries on her body which substantiated her allegation of physical abuse.

On her allegation that her husband had also abused her children, medical checks on them didn’t find any injuries or marks. However, the police had uncovered a report, made by a social worker at the Lamunin Police Station on 20 May 1999, saying that G’s 14-year-old daughter was found to have been physically abused. Although this report was later retracted by G, it provided some indication on the likelihood that the husband did physically abuse their children as well.

On 04 September 2001, G pleaded guilty to an amended charge of committing culpable homicide not amounting to murder and was sentenced to 3 years in jail. Don’t try to adjust your screen, yep it is really 3 you’re seeing.