Najadi murder retrial: Accused to know fate on July 11

20-Jun-2017, 13:12

20 Jun 2017, 13:12

Tow truck driver given reprieve from death sentence will have chance to overturn his murder conviction, as court will go through all the evidence again.

KUALA LUMPUR:

Tow truck driver Koong Swee Kwan, who was given a second chance after being convicted of murdering AmBank founder Hussain Najadi three years ago, would know on July 11 if he goes free or will face another trial for the same crime.

High Court Judicial Commissioner Ab Karim Ab Rahman, who is hearing the murder retrial told Koong, in the accused dock, that the court needed to go through all the evidence again.

Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharudin Wan Ladin had also told the court today to “disregard” a previous High Court decision to convict Koong for murder.

On Dec 14, a five-man Federal Court bench led by Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin ordered Koong to stand trial again for Najadi’s murder and the attempted murder of the banker’s wife three years ago, ruling that the trial judge was prejudiced against the accused. The court also directed a new judge to preside over the cases.

Koong, also nicknamed “sei ngan chai” or bespectacled in Cantonese, was found guilty and sentenced to death on September 2014, of murdering Najadi at the Kuan Yin Temple, Jalan Ceylon here on July 29, 2013 and another charge of attempted murder towards Najadi’s wife, Cheong Mei Kuen at the same place.

He was sentenced to 18 years in jail for the attempted murder charge.

Previously, Koong’s case was heard by High Court judge Justice Azman Husin.

Prior to convicting Koong, Justice Azman had heard and dismissed taxi driver Chew Siang Chee’s appeal on August 2014.

Chew was said to have ferried Koong after the shooting.

He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail for two charges by the Sessions Court for possessing a pistol and live bullets.

He was later acquitted by the Court of Appeal last year.