Court upholds millionaire killer’s death sentence

PUTRAJAYA: A ship cleaner lost his appeal at the Court of Appeal here to set aside his death sentence for murdering a millionaire businessman whose burnt remains were found in an oil palm estate.

Justice Yaacob Md Sam, who chaired a three-member bench, held that Izwanuddin Kasim’s conviction for the murder was safe.

Justice Yaacob, who sat with Justices Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah and P. Ravinthran, dismissed Izwanuddin’s appeal against his conviction and death sentence in a unanimous decision.

Izwanuddin, 38, was appealing against the Johor Baru High Court’s decision on Oct 1,2017 that found him guilty and sentenced him to death for killing Yong Boon Cheong, 54, along Jalan Skudai, Danga Bay, Johor Baru, between 6am and 7am on July 4,2014.

In his judgment, High Court judge Justice Mohd Sofian Abd Razak said the events leading to the murder began with a fight between Izwanuddin and Yong at the latter’s house in Danga Bay. Yong had accused him of trying to knock at the rear of his Jaguar car.

A witness testified that Izwanuddin claimed that the deceased threw an object and it hit the door of his Mitsubishi Evo.

Justice Mohd Sofian said there was evidence from a witness who said that a switchblade knife was in Izwanuddin’s hand.

This matched the pathologist’s evidence confirming that the victim died of stabs to the chest that had penetrated the heart, caused by a sharp object.

Justice Mohd Sofian said Izwanuddin was also identified by a witness, a petrol vendor from whom the accused had bought petrol.

He said a witness, who was a member of the Parit Raja security and safety committee, said he found a charred body in the oil palm estate and he informed the village headman.

Izwanuddin has one last avenue to appeal – the Federal Court. — Bernama