02/07/2025

WEDNESDAY | JULY 2, 2025

5 Ex-pathologist death sentence upheld

o Court commutes convictions of two others to life imprisonment, discharges and acquits three individuals in Morais murder case

Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Fairuz Johari pressed for the death sentences to be maintained due to the brutal nature of the crime. After the court delivered the decision, Sivananthan, Amer Hamzah, Kitson Foong and Afifuddin Ahmad Hafifi extended their appreciation to Justice Tengku Maimun and Justice Abang Iskandar, both of whom are retiring. In yesterday’s proceeding, lawyer Jasmine Cheong also represented Kunaseegaran, while the other lawyers were Y. Sheelan Shamuagam for Dinishwaran, Burhanudeen Abdul Wahid (Thinesh Kumar), Afifuddin (Vishwanath), Amer Hamzah (Nimalan) and Kitson Foong (Ravi Chandran). Deputy public prosecutors Datuk Yusaini Abdul Karim, Mohd Fairuz Johari and Mohd Fuad Abdul Aziz appeared for the prosecution. Teacher falls victim to phone scam GEORGE TOWN: A teacher lost RM890,000 after falling victim to a phone scam syndicate that falsely accused the victim of being involved in money laundering. Penang deputy police chief Datuk Mohd Alwi Zainal Abidin said the 59-year old woman filed a report on Monday at the commercial crime investigation division of the northeast district police headquarters, Bernama reported. “According to the victim, she was at home when she received a phone call from an unknown number on May 10. A man, who introduced himself as a representative of a bank, told her a credit card had been misused in her name. “The woman denied having the credit card, and the call was connected to an individual claiming to be a police officer in Johor, who said she was involved in a money laundering case,” he said. The “police officer” then asked the woman to transfer money for audit purposes, and that the money would be returned after investigation was completed. Mohd Alwi said the victim made 27 online money transfer transactions to 23 different accounts from May 19 to June 5, involving a total of RM890,000. Bodies of mother, daughter found GEORGE TOWN: The decaying bodies of a mother and her two-year-old daughter were found in an apartment in Jalan Bukit Gambir here, north-east district police chief ACP Abdul Rozak Muhammad said yesterday. He added that they received a public tipoff about a stench coming from the apartment at 4.41pm on Monday. A police team along with some firefighters managed to break into the unit. “Inspection of the home led to the discovery of the decaying bodies of a 40-year-old woman and a female child in the main room,” he said in a statement. Forensic experts from Penang Hospital and the Penang contingent police headquarters were called to assist in the investigations. Both bodies were sent to the hospital for an autopsy. The case is being classified as sudden death pending the autopsy results, he said. – Bernama

Raya Sentul and No. 1, Jalan USJ 1/6D, Subang Jaya, between 7 am and 8pm on Sept 4, 2015. The Court of Appeal dismissed their appeals on March 14 last year. Morais, who was reported missing on Sept 4, 2015, was last seen leaving his apartment at Menara Duta, Kuala Lumpur, in a Proton Perdana. His body was found in a cement filled oil drum at Persiaran Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya on Sept 16 the same year. During the proceedings, lawyer Datuk N. Sivananthan, representing Kunaseegaran, told the court his client had instructed him to withdraw his appeal against the death sentence, while Nimalan’s counsel Datuk Amer Hamzah Arshad and lawyer Kitson Foong, representing Ravi Chandran, urged the court to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment.

Datuk Bujang, discharged and acquitted the other three individuals, namely R. Dinishwaran, 32, A.K. Thinesh Kumar, 31, and M. Vishwanath, 34, for the murder, Bernama reported. In delivering the court’s unanimous decision, Abang Iskandar said the court was satisfied that the convictions against Kunaseegaran, Nimalan and Ravi were safe and that their appeals against the convictions were dismissed. However, regarding the other three appellants, the judge said there was insufficient evidence to uphold their murder convictions. “We allow their appeals and hereby set aside their convictions for murder,” he said. On July 10, 2020, the six men were sentenced to death after they were found guilty of killing Morais, 55, somewhere along Jalan Dutamas Rhodzariah

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court yesterday upheld the death sentence imposed on a former pathologist colonel for the murder of deputy public prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais in 2015. A three-man bench led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat affirmed the murder conviction of Colonel Dr R. Kunaseegaran, 62, S. Nimalan, 31 and S. Ravi Chandran, 53. However, both Nimalan and Ravi Chandran were spared the gallows after the court commuted the death sentences imposed on them by the

High Court to life imprisonment. Nimalan was sentenced to 35 years in prison with 12 strokes of the cane, while Ravi Chandran was sentenced to 40 years in jail. The court did not impose whipping on Ravi Chandran as he is aged above 50. Tengku Maimun said Kunaseegaran’s death sentence remained as he had withdrawn his appeal against the sentence. Meanwhile, the panel, which also comprised Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judge

Smuggling attempts foiled, RM10m goods seized IPOH: The Perak Customs Department has successfully foiled attempts to smuggle drugs and various other goods, including a Brabham BT62 supercar, at four separate locations, with total seizures valued at RM10.9 million. on May 27. He added that the seized vehicle is valued at RM6.4 million including tax, and the case is being investigated under Section 135(1)(d) of the Customs Act 1967.

authorities,” he said here yesterday. Mohd Nadzri said the department was investigating the case under Section 39B of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, Bernama reported. He added that the team also seized 55,320 electronic cigarette devices with various liquid brands and 706 smuggled marble tiles valued at about RM1.5 million, including tax, in a container at Port Klang, Selangor, on June 4. The modus operandi involved false declarations, and the case is being investigated under Section 133(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967. In a separate case, the team discovered a Brabham BT62 supercar brought into the country without an import permit, kept in a container at West Port, Pulau Indah, Selangor,

He added that the department also seized pig carcasses imported from a neighbouring country without proper documentation and without consultation with the Malaysian Quarantine and Inspection Services Department. The shipment lacked an import permit and a health certificate from the country of origin. “The carcasses, seized from two refrigerated lorries in Pengkalan Hulu, Gerik, are estimated to be worth RM1.5 million including tax,” he said.

Its director Mohd Nadzri Ariffin said his department inspected a package suspected of containing ganja at a courier service in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, at about 2.45pm on June 5. The inspection uncovered eight plastic packages containing dried plants suspected to be ganja , weighing 9.8kg and valued at RM966,084. “Smuggling drugs hidden inside mattress boxes and inflatable pools for export is a common modus operandi used to evade

Zairulnizam and officers with the fake firearms seized during a house raid in Segambut. – BERNAMAPIC

Three foreigners held, fake firearms confiscated KUALA LUMPUR: Police arrested three foreigners and seized hundreds of fake firearms, including Walther P99 pistols, M4 Carbines and Colt AR-15s in a raid on a terrace house in Segambut here on Monday. other locations in Selangor and Johor were raided simultaneously. “Police also seized fake Heckler and Koch MP5 rifles, CZ, Glock 17, Sand Viper and Browning pistols,” he said, adding that ball bearing crossbows and spear guns were also seized. Bukit Aman Internal Security and Public Order Department Wildlife Crime Bureau/Special Investigation Intelligence deputy director SAC Zairulnizam Mohd Zainuddin said several The fake firearms were stored at the premises for repackaging before being sold openly on

social media platforms,” he said. The trio would be investigated under Section 36 of the Arms Act 1960, Section (6)(1)(c) and 39(b) of the Immigration Act 1959/63. “Social media administrators are advised to monitor sales activities on their platforms and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission would take stern action if sales of such items are found,” he said. – Bernama