January 17: Retrial of convicted towtruck driver

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here yesterday set Jan 17 for mention of a case for retrial involving a former tow truck driver who had been convicted for the murder of Arab-Malaysian Bank (AmBank) founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi.

Deputy registrar Aizatul Akmal Maharani set the date during case management which was held in chambers in the presence of deputy public prosecutors Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and Hamdan Hamzah and lawyers Datuk Jagjit Singh Bant Singh and Naizatul Zamrina Karizaman, representing Koong Swee Kwan.

Wan Shaharuddin, when met by reporters, said the case would be heard before Judicial Commissioner Karim Ab Rahman.

The court, had on Sept 5, 2014, sentenced Koong to death after finding him guilty of the murder.

However, last Dec 14, a five-man bench of the Federal Court chaired by Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin unanimously allowed Koong’s appeal and ordered the case to be remitted to the High Court for retrial.

Justice Zulkefli also set aside Koong’s conviction and death sentence.

Koong, 47, had been found guilty of killing Hussain, 75, at the car park of the Kuan Yin Chinese Temple at No 4, Lorong Ceylon here between 1.30pm and 2pm on July 29, 2013.

He was also convicted and sentenced to 18 years jail for attempting to murder Hussain’s wife, Cheong Mei Kuen.

He lost his appeal at the Court of Appeal on Nov 25, last year. — Bernama