Sosilawati trial: Witness saw things thrown out at Banting spots, contradicts his police statement

August 04, 2011

SHAH ALAM, Aug 4 — Today at the murder trial of cosmetics millionairess Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three other individuals, a witness testified he saw four men discard items at several Banting locations last September 4.

U. Suresh was driving a lorry when men hailed him by the side of a road junction leading to his workplace, a farm at Tanjung Sepat, Banting. They wanted to hire his vehicle for an hour to dispose some prayer material, Bernama Online reported.

The men — four of them — were in a blue four-wheel drive (4WD).

Suresh, 27, who is currently serving a 20-year jail sentence for disposing evidence linked to Sosilawati killing is the 29th prosecution witness.

He was heading to Puchong but since they were willing to pay RM250 for only an hour use of his vehicle, Suresh agreed.

One of the men — An Indonesian nation — from the four-wheel drive then got on to the passenger side of his lorry

He was instructed to trail the 4WD, which then stopped at a river. The driver of the 4WD did not alight, said Suresh, but the other two in the vehicle got off and chucked a white sack into a drain. And both vehicles left the scene thereafter.

Suresh was being cross-examined by lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, counsel for N.Pathmanabhan, the first accused in the 17-day old trial.

Pathmanabhan, 42, a former lawyer and three farm workers, T. Thilaiyagan, 20, R. Matan, 21, and R. Khatavarayan, 31, who are charged with murdering Sosilawati (picture), 47, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, and Sosilawati's driver, Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.

They are accused of committing the acts at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting, between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30 2010.

Charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read with Section 34 of the same code, they face the death penalty if found guilty.

Later the 4WD stopped at a small bridge, around four to six kilometres from the first stop. Suresh, speaking in Tamil to a court interpreter, said at the second spot something was thrown into the river.

Unaware of what was being disposed Suresh followed the 4WD to the third stop at a forested area near Jalan Kelanang.

There he saw a black car 20m from his lorry. He was unable to tell who was in the car because its windows were tinted.

Suresh alighted and opened the back of his lorry and then got back to the driver’s seat. For ten minutes the Indonesian man and another were loading items. After that the black car led the 4WD followed by the lorry.

Suresh said three to ten minutes later they all stopped by a river. The Indonesian and the other two from the 4WD removed items from the back of his lorry and dumped them in the river.

He distinctly remembered hearing zinc sheets being stepped on while he remained inside his vehicle.

After this Suresh saw the 4WD driver step out and head to the black car. A window screen was wound down and then the driver talked over to Suresh and passed RM300 to him. When Suresh said he only asked for RM250 the man asked him to keep the balance.

Manjeet asked at that point if he headed to Puchong after receiving payment.

Suresh answered that the Indonesian man wanted a lift to Subang Jaya.

When they reached an area with a factory and flats in Subang Jaya, the Indonesian asked him to wait for him for ten minutes as he has to see someone. Suresh saw the man throw a cigarette pack into a ditch when he was walked back to the lorry.

Before driving off the Indonesian insisted he took two handphones. Suresh said later when he returned to his estate he offered his employer Ravi (the fourth accused) one of the phones.

Manjeet asked if Ravi accepted the phone.

Suresh said Ravi scolded him instead and asked if he knew where the handphones were from. He asked Suresh to throw the handphones.

Suresh then chucked the two handphones in a drain near Banting main market.

To further examination Suresh said he has not committed any crimes nor did he commit murder the evening of August 30, 2010. The witness claims he never knew Pathmanabhan until his arrest on September 9, 2010.

Suresh claims being beaten by two policemen, one of them named Govindan. He was also instructed to name Pathmanabhan as the murderer while a gun was pointed at his head.

In earlier developments, Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir allowed Suresh’s police statement to be used after the prosecution stated they’d impeach the witness’ courth testimony.

The judge was satisfied the statement as proven by the prosecution met Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code requirements.

However, Akhtar disallowed the recording as evidence since Suresh was a witness and not an accused in the murder trial.

Akhtar then asked Suresh to explain 22 contradictions between his recorded statement and court testimony.

At the end of Suresh’s explanation the judge said he will decide at the end of the prosecution’s case whether to impeach the witness or not.

The hearing continues tomorrow.

Sumber : http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/sosilawati-trial-witness-saw-things-thrown-out-at-banting-spots-contradicts-his-police-statement/