The Court of Appeal here today postponed to Aug 10, the hearing of the appeal by four men who were sentenced to death for the murder of cosmetics millionairess Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and her three aides after a lawyer discharged himself from representing one of the accused.
The three-member panel chaired by Justice Datuk Aziah Ali was scheduled to hear the appeal for five days starting today.
However, the hearing of the appeal had to be adjourned to another date as counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik informed the court that he was discharging himself from representing the fourth accused, R. Kathavarayan, following a letter and a police report made by him (Kathavarayan).
Hisyam said Kathavarayan had made a police report dated April 20 this year, saying that he did not want him (Hisyam) to represent him, alleging that his interest would be compromised.
Kathavarayan also stated in the report that he preferred an Indian counsel who was proficient in Tamil to enable him to communicate with the lawyer.
Responding to Kathavarayan's claim, Hisyam said the reason given by the former in the police report was incorrect, adding that he had done all to protect the accused's interest.
Justice Aziah said in a pre-emptive measure, she had earlier asked the court registrar to get a counsel as requested by Kathavarayan and had appointed M. Stanislaus Vethanayagam as court-assigned counsel for him (Kathavarayan).
She then asked Kathavarayan whether he agreed to be represented by Stanislaus to which he (Kathavarayan) accepted.
Justice Aziah who presided on the panel with Justices Datuk Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat and Datuk Seri Zakaria Sam then allowed Hisyam's application to be discharged.
However, the court could not proceed with the appeal after Stanislaus informed the court that his client whom he had spoken to before the court proceeding began, wanted him to submit a fresh submission and discard the submission prepared by his previous lawyer, Hisyam.
Justice Aziah who granted the final adjournment then fixed six days from Aug 10 to 13 and Aug 17 to 18 as the new hearing dates. She also instructed Stanislaus to submit his written submission by July 1.
Former lawyer N. Pathmanabhan, 45, and farmhands T.Thilaiyalagan, 23, R.Matan, 24, and Kathavarayan were sentenced to death for murdering Sosilawati, 47, her driver Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, and lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32.
They were found guilty by the High Court in Shah Alam on May 23, 2013 of committing the murder at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat in Banting between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30, 2010.
Pathmanabhan was represented by lawyer Manjit Singh, Thilaiyalagan by Gurbachan Singh and Matan by Amer Hamzah Arshad, while appearing for the prosecution was a team of five deputy public prosecutors led by Ishak Mohd Yusoff.
Bernama
Mon May 18 2015
A file photo of the four convicts. The fourth convict, Kathavarayan says he now prefers an Indian counsel who is proficient in Tamil.
Jepun-Greece rai diplomasi lampau 125 tahun
Jepun dan Greece meraikan hubungan diplomasi lampau yang bermula sejak 125 tahun lalu dengan lawatan rasmi sepanjang minggu ini di Greece.
Hubungan yang disifatkan istimewa antara dua negara ini menjadi lebih istimewa kerana Puteri Kako iaitu anak buat kepada maharaja Naruhito mencemar duli hadir ke negara berkenaan untuk menzahirkan ucapan dalam surat yang diutuskan oleh Maharaja Negara Matahari Terbit itu.
Hubungan yang disifatkan istimewa antara dua negara ini menjadi lebih istimewa kerana Puteri Kako iaitu anak buat kepada maharaja Naruhito mencemar duli hadir ke negara berkenaan untuk menzahirkan ucapan dalam surat yang diutuskan oleh Maharaja Negara Matahari Terbit itu.
Tanah runtuh di Papua New Guinea: India tawar bantuan US$1 juta
Bantuan bernilai US$1 juta disumbang India bagi membantu mangsa-mangsa bencana tanah runtuh tragis di Papua New Guinea. Tanah runtuh itu yang berlaku pada minggu lalu, setakat ini telah meragut ribuan nyawa dengan ada mangsa yang terperangkap dalam runtuhan.
Panas ekstrem di Rajasthan, 6 maut akibat strok haba
Sekurang-kurangnya enam terkorban akibat gelombang haba melampau dan berpanjangan di barat India, Rajastran pada Selasa.
Himpunan solidariti mahu lihat kesan jelas selepas iktiraf
Pada hari sebelumnya, ratusan yang bersolidariti dengan rakyat Palestin berhimpun di hadapan pejabat Suruhanjaya Eropah (EU) di Barcelona dan di beberapa pejabat kementerian luar di Madrid.
Sepanyol tegas inginkan baitulmaqdis, ibu negara Palestin
Diharapkan langkah untuk mengiktiraf Palestin sebagai sebuah negara akan diikuti lebih ramai negara lain khususnya dari Eropah. Ia juga dilihat dapat menyegerakan keamanan selepas melihat kekejaman berterusan sekian lama. Ini pendirian yang dikongsi tiga negara -Sepanyol, Ireland dan Norway yang secara rasmi mengiktiraf Palestin sebagai negara berkuat kuasa Selasa, 28 Mei.
Mohamad Husaini, Nor Hidayah johan Tilawah Al-Quran
Muhammad Husaini dan Nor Hidayah masing-masing membawa pulang hadiah wang tunai RM20,000 dan wang tunai RM10,000 bagi menunaikan ibadah haji, piala, cenderamata serta sijil.
Pilih hidangan makanan, elak keracunan
Jemaah haji Malaysia disaran memilih makanan dan tempat makanan yang bersesuaian untuk mengelakkan masalah boleh mengganggu tumpuan beribadah termasuk kemungkinan keracunan dan cirit birit.
Hubungan Malaysia-China berada di tahap tertinggi
Hubungan diplomatik Malaysia-China yang sudah menjangkau hampir lima dekad kini berada di tahap tertinggi.
Program Geran Kreatif KL bertujuan memberi hela nafas baharu
Kerajaan akan memainkan peranan proaktif dalam melaksanakan projek-projek flagship dengan meningkatkan dan menyelaras usaha untuk memastikan ianya mencapai potensi penuh dalam memberikan hela nafas baharu kepada Pusat Bandar Kuala Lumpur menjadi destinasi kreatif bertaraf dunia.
Hamas desak Majlis Keselamatan PBB ambil 'langkah segera' hentikan serangan Israel ke atas Rafah
Hamas pada Selasa menggesa Majlis Keselamatan Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu mengambil tindakan segera untuk menghentikan serangan berterusan Israel di Rafah.
Federal court fixed Dec 8 to hear Najib's application to intervene in Azilah's review
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Azmi Mashud appeared for the prosecution while lawyer J. Kuldeep Kumar appeared for Azilah.
Lady Gaga kembali berlakon, kali ini pegang watak pembunuh dinasti fesyen Gucci
Penyanyi pop berusia 33 tahun itu akan membawa watak Patrizia Reggiani iaitu bekas isteri Maurizio Gucci yang didapati bersalah kerana mendalangi pembunuhan bekas suaminya, Maurizio Gucci.
Canada pays tribute to billionaire couple after mysterious deaths
Tearful family members paid tribute to Canadian pharmaceutical billionaires and philanthropists Barry and Honey Sherman before thousands of people on Thursday