Former Sabah rugby player jailed 12 years for causing sister's death

The Star

4 days ago

KOTA KINABALU: A former Sabah state rugby player has been sentenced to 12 years' jail for causing the death of his younger sister after an argument over a handwritten message.
Arden Mattson Maturin, 28, was initially due to stand trial on a murder charge.
However, on Monday (July 21), he pleaded guilty before High Court judge Justice Datuk Duncan Sikodol to an alternative charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code.
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He faced a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a possible fine.
The prosecution offered the alternative charge after receiving a letter of representation from the defence.
Arden admitted to causing the death of Audrey Maturin, 25, with the intent to inflict bodily harm likely to result in death.
The incident occurred between 3.30pm and 4.30pm on May 4, 2023, between 3.30pm at their family home in Taman Prestij, Jalan Signal Hill.
Wearing a white shirt and visibly thinner than during his earlier court appearances, Arden appeared composed as the verdict was read, and occasionally glanced towards his family seated in the public gallery.
In delivering the sentence, the court acknowledged the seriousness of the offence but also considered the surrounding circumstances and the background of the accused.
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Justice Sikodol noted that while the incident was undeniably tragic, it occurred in a moment of uncontrolled anger and was not premeditated.
The court also took into account that Arden was still young and had shown potential as an athlete, even representing Sabah in rugby.
He had no prior criminal record and had shown genuine remorse, the court noted.
Justice Sikodol noted that a prison sentence would compound the suffering already endured by the family, particularly the parents who had lost one child and now faced losing another.
'Nevertheless, a custodial sentence remains appropriate. Taking into account the mitigating factors, a 12-year sentence from the date of arrest strikes a balance between punishment and compassion. It reflects the gravity of the act and the tragic family context behind it,' he said.
The court heard that at the time of the incident, only Audrey and Arden, then 26, were at home.
Audrey was in her room while Arden was smoking outside, as their parents and youngest sibling had gone out.
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The victim had left a handwritten note in capital letters on a piece of paper that read: "Jgn merokok dalam rumah (expletive)! Bodoh!" (Don't smoke in the house! Idiot!) pasted it on the storeroom door, presumably directed at Arden.
This sparked an argument.
During the quarrel, Arden struck his sister multiple times on her face, neck and chest with his hands.
Neighbours reported hearing screams and saw Arden leaving the house in a panic.
At around 4.50pm, when the parents and youngest sibling returned home, the mother discovered Audrey unconscious and lying face down in a pool of blood on the living room floor.
She was rushed to Queen Elizabeth II Hospital's Emergency Unit, but doctors found no signs of life and attempted resuscitation.
They later confirmed that she had suffered severe traumatic brain injury with haemorrhagic shock and multiple facial bone fractures.
Arden was arrested at the family home later that evening at 8.15pm. Police noted that both his fists were swollen, and a ring on his finger had to be cut off by the Fire and Rescue Department.
Audrey was pronounced dead at around 10.30pm on May 6, 2023.
A post-mortem found external injuries, massive bleeding beneath the scalp, brain swelling, bleeding in the brainstem, and severe fractures to the skull and facial bones.
Internal bleeding was also found in the neck and chest, and she sustained multiple broken ribs, leading to the conclusion that she died from blunt force trauma to the head, neck and chest.
During sentencing, Arden's lawyers Edward Paul and Bartholomew Jinggulam appealed for a lighter sentence of 10 years, citing this as his first offence and noting that he had pleaded guilty to the alternative charge.
They said the altercation stemmed from provocation caused by the note and that Arden lost control in a moment of anger, with no weapon involved.
'Don't let this family lose another child. A long sentence will only deepen the grief of his parents,' he told the court.
The court also heard from Arden's father, who requested leniency, saying: 'Arden is our eldest. I am now 63 years old. We believe he never intended for this to happen.
"He has changed since the pandemic when his centralised rugby training in Sandakan was cancelled.
"He became withdrawn and preferred to stay in his room. When I asked, he said he just wanted to keep training and represent Malaysia.'
However, DPP Dacia Jane Romanus urged the court to impose a sentence that sends a clear message that violence in the home has consequences.
She acknowledged Arden's youth and clean record but stressed the need for public interest, deterrence and justice for the victim.
She highlighted the extent and nature of the injuries, describing the attack as cruel and causing extreme suffering.
'Young age may explain some actions, but it does not erase the fact that a bright young woman has lost her life.
"Even in moments of rage, the law demands accountability. Anger is not an excuse for violence, and no one is above the law,' she said.