Death sentence of ex-tow truck driver for murder of Ambank founder upheld

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court here yesterday upheld the conviction and death sentence of a former tow truck driver for the murder of Arab-Malaysian Bank (AmBank) founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi in 2013.

A three-member bench led by Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Rohana Yusuf also affirmed the 18year jail term on Koong Swee Kwan for attempting to murder Najadi’s wife Cheong Mei Kuen.

The bench, which also comprised of Federal Court judges Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli and Datuk Seri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim, dismissed Koong’s final appeal against his conviction and sentence.

Justice Rohana that evidence against Koong was overwhelming.

Koong’s lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik said his client last recourse is to appeal for clemency to the Pardons’ Board.

He had submitted in the appeal that his client’s defence was not fairly and justly assessed by the trial judge as required by the law.

Koong, 52, known as Sei Ngan Chai (bespectacled) was sentenced to death on Oct 27, 2017, for killing Najadi, 75, after a retrial of his case. He was also sentenced to 18 years in jail for attempting to murder Cheong.

The man was charged with committing the offences in the parking lot of the Kuan Yin Temple in Lorong Ceylon between 1.30 pm and 2 pm on July 29, 2013.

On Sept 5, 2014, the Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Justice Mohd Azman Husin sentenced Koong to death for Najadi’s murder and 18’years’ jail for the attempted murder.

However, on Dec 14, 2016, the Federal Court five-man bench set aside his conviction and ordered the case to be retried in the High Court after ruling that Justice Mohd Azman could have been prejudiced since he had heard the appeal of a taxi man, Chew Siang Chee who was facing charges of possession of pistol and bullets. Chew was said to have driven Koong away after the shooting.

Chew was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail on two charges by the Sessions Court for possessing a pistol and live bullets. However, he was acquitted by the Court of Appeal in 2015.

The retrial of Koong’s case was heard by then judicial commissioner Ab Karim Ab Rahman (now High Court judge). - Bernama