Four men were charged with the murder of a 71-year-old retired researcher at the Magistrate’s court on Wednesday, 9 December
New Straits Times reported that the victim, Dr Wan Hassan Wan Embong, was the former director of the Malaysia Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI) and was killed when armed men broke into his home in Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar on 29 November.
Security guard Vickeswaran Selvach Santhiran, 22, despatch rider Kogilan Panniselvam, 23, electrician Ravindran Manimurasu, 23, and unemployed Sugu Thangarajoo, 27, nodded their heads in acknowledgement of the charges read out to them in court.
The offence under Section 302 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same act, carries a mandatory death sentence upon conviction
All four men did not enter a plea before Magistrate Wong Chai Sia.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Ahmad Hakimi Wan Ahmad Jaafar prosecuted, while the accused were unrepresented.
Image via Bernama/Free Malaysia Today
The men were later brought to the Sessions Court to face another charge of gang robbery
The offence falls under Sections 395 and 397 of the Penal Code and carries the sentence of 20 years’ jail and whipping upon conviction.
According to Malay Mail, they were charged for wielding a parang and a hammer at the home of engineer Mohd Muzaffar Zulkifli Martin in Taman Tiara Titiwangsa, Setapak on the same morning they broke into Dr Wan Hassan’s home.
According to the charge sheet, the 33-year-old victim suffered about RM38,000 in losses.
However, the four pleaded not guilty to Judge Izralizam Sanusi.
Deputy public prosecutor Muhammad Aiman Azahan prosecuted, while the accused were again unrepresented.
Izralizam also set 9 March for the next case mention.
After the proceedings, one of the accused’s mother was seen crying outside the courtroom, saying that her son could not have committed such a crime
“He is a good person. He is the only son who takes good care of me,” Sugu’s mother said.