Banting murders: Teenager files appeal against conviction, sentence

SHAH ALAM: One of two youths sentenced to seven years' jail after pleading guilty to disposal of evidence in the murders of cosmetics millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three others, has filed an appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Nineteen-year-old K. Saravanan's appeal was made via law firm Messrs A. S. Dhaliwal at the Shah Alam High Court Criminal registry here Tuesday.

On Oct 15, the former mechanic and V. Suresh, 26, received the jail sentence from the magistrate's court in Teluk Datuk.

In the notice of appeal, Saravanan said he was dissatisfied with the decision of the magistrate, Hurman Hussain.

Saravanan and Suresh were each charged with seven counts of disposing of evidence, under Section 201 of the Penal Code.

Hurman sentenced them to seven years' jail on each count to be served concurrently, from the date of their arrest on Sept 9, this year.

They were among eight people detained by police between Sept 9 and 12, in connection with the disappearance of Sosilawati and three others on Aug 30, this year.

Saravanan was charged with disposing the evidence by burning the remains of Sosilawati, 47, CIMB bank officer Noorhisham Mohammad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati's driver, Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.

The bodies of the four victims were burnt at Lot No 2001, Jalan Tanjung Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting, between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30.

Suresh was charged with disposing of evidence by throwing the ashes of the four bodies at Sungai Panchau, Jalan Morib Banting, between 8am and 10am on Aug 31, this year.

On Oct 13, lawyer N. Patmanabhan and three farm workers, T. Thilaiyalagan, 19, R. Matan, 20, and R. Khatavarayan, 30, were charged at the same court with murdering Sosilawati, Noorhisham, Ahmad Kamil and Kamaruddin.

The court set Dec 16 for mention of the murder case, pending the chemistry and other relevant reports.

Counsel Avtar Singh Dhaliwal said no date was set by the High Court to hear the matter, adding that he had filed the appeal on the instruction of Saravanan's family. - Bernama

Erni’s mission to share

ERNI Dekritawati Yuliana Buhari is on a mission to share what she has learned from her entrepreneur mother Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya.

“My mother once advised me to share my knowledge,” said the eldest daughter of the 47-year-old cosmetics tycoon who disappeared under mysterious circumstances on Aug 30.

Sosilawati's Daughter Joins Puteri Umno

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- The eldest daughter of murdered cosmetics queen Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya officially joined Puteri Umno Wednesday.

Erni Dekritawati Bukhari, 25, affectionately called Rita, has been appointed a member of the movement's entrepreneur development and economy strengthening bureau.

Her membership form was handed over to Puteri chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin at the 2010 Puteri Umno General Assembly held at the Putra World Trade Centre here.

Speaking to reporters after handing over the form, Rita said friends had encouraged her to join the movement to continue her late mother's legacy.

"I feel that I can help women entrepreneurs to move forward and practise the knowledge my mother shared with others.

"This is a way for me to appreciate my mother's work in helping single mothers and disabled women, which is much easier as she had already set a platform for me," she said. Rita then attended a Puteri Umno debate session for 10 minutes at the Dewan Tun Dr Ismail.

Sosilawati, 47, her chauffeuar Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44, CIMB bank officer Noorhisham Mohammad, 38, and personal lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abd Karim, 32, were reported missing since Aug 30 after they were said to have gone to Banting to conclude a land deal.

On Sept 12, police confirmed the four were beaten to death before their bodies were burnt and the ashes thrown into a river near Ladang Gadong, Banting.

-- BERNAMA

'Murdered' tycoon's wife wants probe speeded up

By Stephanie Sta Maria

UPDATED KUALA LUMPUR: The second wife of “murdered” Indian tycoon A Muthuraja has returned to Malaysia to pressure both the police and government to hasten investigations into her husband's case.

S Usharani, 24, submitted a memorandum to the Indian High Commission today which included her initial report to the commission in March this year. She also pressed the high commission to push the police and government into taking swifter action.

The memorandum was received by the Second Secretary Consular, Subhash Ramakrishna Pillai.

Usharani will also be handing over new evidence to the Kuala Langat police either later today or tomorrow. The evidence comprises photographs and documents that she had shown to the team of Bukit Aman officers who interrogated her in Chennai last week.

The photographs include that of Muthuraja and former lawyer N Pathmanabhan, who was recently charged with the murder of cosmetics tycoon Sosilawati Lawiya and three others.

The documents relate to a land deal in Kuala Langat in which Muthuraja was involved with Pathmanabhan before his disappearance in January this year.

According to Kapar MP S Manikavasagam, who accompanied Usharani to the high commission, the police had instructed her to submit this evidence in Malaysia.

“Why couldn't they have taken it with them when they left Chennai?” he asked. “Now she has to come all the way to Malaysia for this.”

According to him, the document held proof that one of the lawyer brothers suspected in Sosilawati's murder, was indirectly involved in the land deal. However, he declined to elaborate, saying that he didn't know the details.

Police too slow

Manikavasagam also called on the police to issue an official statement on Muthuraja's status.

"They say he's dead but they have shown no evidence nor have they officially informed Usharani of this," he said. “The Inspector-General of Police (Ismail Omar) should at least release a statement on whether Muthuraja is dead or alive. Usharani can take it from there.”

Manikavasagam said last month that he would leave the case to Usharani's lawyers after Selangor chief police officer Khalid Abu Bakar warned him not to interfere in police investigations.

When reminded of this, he retorted, “The police are moving too slowly! Pathmanabhan has only been charged with Sosilawati's murder but there are other cases involving him. The police should be playing a role here, not the MPs. I am only here to help her.”

Manikavasagam also questioned why the link between Sementa assemblyman Abdul Rahman Palil and at least one of the suspects in Sosilawati's murder was being overlooked.

“Abdul Rahman was a director in the same company as one of the suspects,” he said. “And one Mohd Firdaus Palil is also listed as a director. Why are they not being investigated?”

This is Usharani's third trip to Malaysia following her husband's disappearance. She will be here until the end of the week.

Brothers lose appeal against being disbarred ‎

KUALA LUMPUR: Two brothers, including one charged with the murder of cosmetics millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya, cannot practise law in Peninsular Malaysia.

The brothers – N. Pathmanabhan and N. Surendren – lost in their bid at the High Court here to overturn the decision by the Advocates & Solicitors Disciplinary Board which struck both their names from the Roll of Advocates and Solicitors of the High Court of Malaya last November.

Yesterday, High Court (Appellate and Special Powers) judge Justice Mohd Zawawi Salleh dismissed the appeal by the two brothers against the disciplinary board’s decision with costs.

The judge also dismissed a stay granted by another High Court on Dec 24 last year against the disciplinary board’s decision.

Justice Mohd Zawawi ordered the two brothers to pay RM5,000 in costs to the Bar Council and another RM5,000 in costs to respondent, businessman M. Rajeanteran.

The judge made his ruling after hearing submissions by the disciplinary board’s lawyer Biliwi Singh, Bar Council lawyer Robert Lau and Rajeanteran’s lawyer, T. Rajasekaran. The brothers were represented by T. Gunaseelan.

“The judge agreed that the order of the disciplinary board should stand as there is no merit in the appeal,” Biliwi said.

Lau said the brothers cannot practice law as an advocate and solicitor in Peninsular Malaysia.

In Sept 18 last year, the disciplinary committee found the two guilty of misconduct. In Nov 5 last year, disciplinary board chairman Tan Sri Khalid Ahmad Sulaiman ordered that the brothers be struck off the Roll.

Pathmanabhan was called to the Bar on Nov 4, 1999 and Surendren on Dec 10, 1999.

In court documents, it was stated that the brothers had misrepresented themselves as solicitors practising in a law firm under the name and guise of Messrs Mohana & Co in Banting. The brothers had proposed that Rajeanteran buy a house in Banting.

The brothers denied that they had executed the Sales and Purchase (S&P) Agreement on Dec 14, 1998. However, handwriting forensic expert, Lim Yok Chaw confirmed that the signature in the S&P belonged to Pathmanabhan while Suren­dren had signed a receipt acknowledging payment from the respondent.

Lawyers accused of murder no longer allowed to practise law

Kuala Lumpur: A lawyer accused in the Banting murders and his brother, also a lawyer, are no longer allowed to practise law.

This followed a decision by the High Court here in dismissing with cost the application by N. Pathmanabhan and N. Surendran to set aside an order by the Advocates and Solicitors' Disciplinary Board in striking off their names as registered lawyers.

Justice Datuk Mohd Zawawi Salleh, who made the decision in chambers, also dismissed the brothers' application for a stay of the order by the disciplinary board.

Lawyer T. Rajasekaran, who represented respondent M. Rajeanteran, told reporters, that following the court's decision, Pathmanabhan and his brother, who was at one time also detained as a suspect in the murders of cosmetic millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three others, could no longer carry out any dealings as lawyers.

In 2003, Rajeantaran had lodged a police report against Pathmanabhan and Surendran, who acted as his lawyers in a property purchase deal made in 1999, after realising that he had been cheated by the brothers.

The disciplinary board began its investigations into Rajaentaran's complaints on Feb 8, 2007 until Nov 5, 2009.

On Nov 24 last year, the two lawyer brothers filed an originating summons seeking a court order to set aside the order by Advocates and Solicitors' Disciplinary Board and to temporarily suspend the order pending the hearing and decision of their originating summons.

In the notice of summons, Pathmanabhan and Surendran stated that the order by the disciplinary board was null and void because the board had contradicted Section 103 D(1) of the Legal Profession Act 1976 by not stating whether it accepted or rejected the decision or recommendations by the investigating tribunal.

They also claimed that the striking of their names as registered lawyers of the High Court of Malaya was void because they were not given an opportunity by the investigating tribunal to produce a testimony by an important and reliable witness.

Meanwhile, Rajeanteran, in his affidavit, claimed that the six-year investigations by the disciplinary board and the investigating tribunal were valid as all important witnesses were called to testify.

He claimed the two lawyer brothers had prepared a writ of summons and a statement of claim to cheat him.

The decision by the Advocates and Solicitors' Disciplinary Board found that the two brothers had acted as advocates and solicitors in the purchase deal and had signed the necessary documents in 1998 when in fact they had not been admitted to the bar.

Pathmanabhan and Surendran were only admitted to the bar in December 1999.

The board also found that the brothers had acted as lawyers at a legal firm in Banting and a year later went to work at Pathma Nall Nalli & Partners.

Also present on Monday were lawyers Biliwi Singh, who represented the Advocates and Solicitors Disciplinary Board and Robert Lau, represented the Bar Council.- Bernama

Daughter Finds Strength To Helm Sosilawati's Cosmetics Empire

Rita, 25, in an interview with BERNAMA.
Pic: Mohd Huzaini Daud

By Norshazlina Norazman

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Erni Dekritawati Yuliana Buhari, 25, nudged into the limelight by the death of her mother cosmetics queen Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya, seems to have a high emotional tolerance level.

The eldest of six siblings was hardly seen shedding tears in public in the wake of news that her millionaire mother had been murdered, but external appearance can belie inner feelings.

"Yes, I may seem to be calm. Deep inside, I am very sad, but I do not want to be visibly in tears because I cannot bear to see my siblings crying.

"Let our sadness be confined to the family. We do not want to be accused of seeking sympathy. We have to carry on with our lives, although our mother is no more," said Rita, as she is fondly called, at the head office in Kampung Baru of Nouvelle Beauty Centre Sdn Bhd, the company running the cosmetics empire established by her mother.

Her siblings are Erwan Suwari Ridzuan, 24, Md Erwan Nasri, 23, Erni Erinawati Sofea, 21, Erni Reenilawati, 20, and Siti Nur Fatimah, 13. All the children were born from Sosilawati's marriage to Bukhari Muhammad, her first husband.

Sosilawati, 47, went missing on Aug 30 after a trip to Banting over a land deal. Also missing were her driver Kamaruddin Shamsudin, 44, CIMB Bank officer Noorhisham Mohammad, 38, and lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, who had gone with her.

Police found out that they had been murdered, their bodies burnt and the ashes thrown into a river in the vicinity of Tanjung Sepat near Banting, Selangor.

Last Wednesday, lawyer N. Patmanabhan, 41, and farm workers T. Thilaiyalagan, 19, R. Matan, 20, and R. Khatavarayan, 30, were charged in the Teluk Datok Magistrate's Court in Banting with the murder of the four people.

Yesterday, K. Sarawanan, 19, and U. Suresh, 26, pleaded guilty to four counts of disposing of evidence in relation to the four murders and were sentenced to the maximum seven years jail on each count, the sentences to run concurrently.

Rita, who has a Masters' degree in International Business from the Universiti of Nottingham, has taken over her mother's business which, she said, was running smoothly.

She admits that she has much to learn about the business and has to have total focus.

"This is my mother's legacy. I do not want to disappoint her. It is my turn to carry on the business and I pray that it will remain successful," she said.

-- BERNAMA