MalaysiaK. Ganesh, 42, was sentenced to 34 months in prison by Selayang judge, Selangor state, for putting a cat in a dryer and killing him.

Judge Rasyihah Ghazali in Selayang court also sentenced Ganesh to the amount of 40,000 ringgit (nearly $ 10,000). The defendant will start serving on November 5 and will receive an additional 4 months in prison if he refuses to pay a penalty.

However, the court allowed Ganesh to delay the execution of the sentence so that the lawyer could file an appeal, but the bail amount increased from 12,000 ringgit to 20,000 ringgit (more than $ 4,800).

"In this case, the accused put the cat in a dryer and locked it up. The verdict is a lesson for the defendant and those who cruelly treat animals," Judge Ghazali said.

Ganesh and his taxi driver A. Mohanraj, 42, were accused of torturing the cat that died in September last year. The video of their action then spread online and received intense criticism from public opinion, forcing the Malaysian Animal Protection Association to report the incident to the police.

The prosecutor asked the court to impose heavy penalties for believing that Ganesh's actions spread widely online and caused outrage in the community. "The case involved a domestic cat that did not harm the defendant. The defendant disrespected his life and did not consider the animal's right to life," he said.

Mohanraj in January was sentenced to two years in prison for the same charge.