By Rita Jong
ritajo@nst.com.my
Sosilawati’s children — Erni Dekritawati Yuliana Buhari, Erwan Suwari Rizuwan Buhari, Md Erwan Nasri Buhari, Erni Erinawati Sofia Buhari, Erni Rineelawati Buhari and Siti Nur Fatimah Buhari — named N. Pathmanabhan, R. Kathavarayan, R. Matan, T. Thilaiyalagan, K. Sarawanan and U. Suresh as defendants.
The defendants have been charged with Sosilawati’s murder.
The suit was filed at the High Court registry here through Messrs Kamarudin & Partners yesterday.
In the statement of claim, the plaintiffs said their mother left her office at Kampung Batu in Kuala Lumpur on Aug 30 with her driver, Kamarudin Shansudin, for Banting to attend to matters with Pathmanabhan.
They went with lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim and CIMB Bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad.
Upon arrival in Banting, Pathmanabhan allegedly told Sosilawati and her entourage to go to a farm in Tanjung Sepat.
The plaintiffs alleged that at the farm Sosilawati was, upon the instructions of Pathmanabhan, murdered by the other defendants.
Sosilawati’s business associates were also murdered.
According to the statement, the first plaintiff, Erni Dekritawati, subsequently lodged a missing person’s report after her mother failed to return home.
The plaintiffs claimed they were left traumatised and suffered pain following their mother’s death.
They are claiming special damages: RM20 million in general damages, RM40 million in exemplary or punitive damages and other costs and relief deemed fit by the court.
Sosilawati, 47, was the founder of cosmetics company Nouvelle Beauty Centre Sdn Bhd, the retailer of Nouvelles Visages (NV) brand of beauty products.
She had embarked on several projects to diversify her business.
On Oct 13, Pathmanabhan and his farm hands, Thilaiyalagan, 19, Matan, 20, and Kathavaravan, 30, were charged at the Telok Datok magistrate’s court with murdering Sosilawati, Kamaruddin, 44, Noorhisham, 38, and Ahmad Kamil, 32.
They are alleged to have committed the offence at the farm at Lot No. 2001, Jalan Tanjung Layang, Tanjung Sepat in Banting, between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30. Their case will be mentioned on Dec 16.
On Oct 15, Sawarawan, 19, and Suresh, 26 were charged with disposing of evidence in the quadruple murder.
They were sentenced to seven years’ jail each after they pleaded guilty to burning the bodies of the victim and throwing the ashes into Sungai Panchau, Jalan Morib, in Banting.
Sosilawati’s children were not present in court during the filing yesterday.
Their lawyer, Kamarudin Ahmad, said they initially wanted to be present, but changed their minds due to personal reasons .
Kamarudin said the suit, involving RM60 million, also served to send a message to the public that such crimes must be dealt with severely.
