Ship cleaner gets death

JOHOR BARU: A ship cleaner was sent to the gallows for the murder of a millionaire three years ago.

The High Court sentenced Izwanuddin Kasim, 37, to death after finding him guilty of stabbing businessman Yong Boon Cheong, 54, before burning him, in Jalan Skudai, Danga Bay between 6am and 7am on July 4, 2014.

Judge Datuk Mohd Sofian Abd Razak said the defence failed to raise a reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case.

He said Izwanuddin’s defence was only based on the statement given by the prosecution’s witness, who was also initially accused along with him.

Mohd Sofian said Izwanuddin was the last person who was with the victim since the time a quarrel began at the victim’s residential area in Johor Baru till the crematorium at a plantation in Batu Pahat.

Although there was no statement from any witness stating that the accused had stabbed the victim, looking at the circumstantial evidence, the accused was with the victim throughout the time, he said.

Mohd Sofian added there was a witness statement claiming the accused had in possession a brass knuckles with a knife attached to it.

This, he said, correlated with the pathologist’s statement that the victim died due to chest stabbing, with a sharp object, which pierced the heart.

Izwanuddin was charged along with Singaporean Noriskandar Zainal Yahya for the murder.

However, during the trial, the prosecution submitted an amended charge against Noriskandar under Section 201 of the Penal Code for helping to dispose the body.

He was sentenced to eight years’ jail by the sessions court here.