Businessman sentenced to death for 2006 murder

ALOR SETAR: A 34-year old businessman, Shahril Jaafar was sentenced to death this Sunday for the 2006 murder of Chee Gaik Yap.

Shahril remained calm when the judgement was delivered by Judicial Commissioner Datuk Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab.

Mohd Zaki said the defence failed to raised reasonable doubt in the case.

"I have no choice but to sentence you with the death penalty, the only punishment as stipulated in Section 302 of the Penal Code," he said.

Chee Gaik Yap

Chee, a Universiti Utara Malaysia graduate, was raped and her body dumped at the housing estate after being abducted while she was jogging in the neighbourhood.

She was believed to have been tailed by her assailant while jogging in the neighbourhood.

The public gallery was packed with friends and families of the victims and accused, as well as pressmen.

Shahril was charged with the murder of marketing executive Chee, 25, near the Cinta Sayang Club in Taman Ria Jaya, Sungai Petani, between 5.30pm Jan 14 and 3.05am Jan 15, 2006.

On June 25, 2013, the Alor Setar High Court acquitted and discharged Shahril from a charge of murdering Chee after finding that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case.

However on Oct 13 last year, a Court of Appeal panel led by Justice Linton Albert, unanimously set aside the High Court’s decision.

The case was re-mentioned on Oct 19 at Alor Setar High Court, with the prosecution team led by Kedah prosecution unit head Salim Soib while Shahril was represented by Shamsul Sulaiman.