DPP Kevin Morais’ murder trial: Accused tells court might not be alive after testifying

KUALA LUMPUR: The seventh accused in the murder of deputy public prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais shocked the High Court hearing the case yesterday when he told the court that his defence testimony yesterday might be his last as he could be dead after that.

S Ravi Chandaran, 47, who was in the dock, told the court this after taking his oath before judge Datuk Azman Abdullah to testify as the sixth and last defence witness in the murder trial.

“I want to tell Your Honour, I don’t know whether I will still be alive or dead after giving this testimony, it might be my last,” he said in Tamil, which was then translated by a court interpreter.

Azman, however, then told Ravi Chandran to continue with his testimony after telling him to let his lawyer know his problems.

Ravi Chandaran complied and proceeded to testify.

Yesterday was the 15th day of the murder trial.

To a question by lawyer V Rajehgopal during examinationinchief, Ravi Chandaran told the court that he went to a condominium at Jalan Dutamas here on Sept 3, 2015, to accompany a friend, G Gunasekaran, also known as ‘ Jay’ whom he had known for 23 years.

He said Jay told him that a ‘client’ at the condominium had borrowed money from him and he wanted to collect the debt.

“I asked Jay why so early as it was 6am (then).

“Jay said the client would leave the condominium early in the morning,” said Ravi Chandran and told the court that he had this conversation with Jay while they were at Restoran Syed Bistro, Petaling Jaya.

He said there were also four other men at the restaurant, namely his nephew SNimalan, R Dinishwaran, AK Thinesh Kumar and M Vishwanath, all of them also the accused in the case.

Ravi Chandaran said all of them then left for the condominium, with him in a Proton Perdana V6 car driven by Jay, while Nimalan, Dinishwaran, Thinesh Kumar and Vishwanath went in a Mitsubishi Triton four-wheel- drive vehicle.

“While at the front of the condominium, at 7am sharp, Jay and I waited in the car, with the Mitsubishi Triton behind (our car).

“Jay and I talked and I asked him whether he is a rich man that he could lend money to someone staying at the condominium. I also asked him how much (was the loan) ... Jay said he would tell me later and asked me to help him to collect the debt,” he said.

Ravi Chandran said they waited in the car for about 15 to 20 minutes and when the money borrower did not appear, he and Jay left the place.

When asked by Rajehgopal whether the condominium was at Kondominium Menara Duta in Jalan Dutamas Raya which was occupied by Kevin Morais and the one visited by Azman, the prosecution and defence teams, including the accused last April 17, Ravi Chandran said ‘yes’.

Dinishwaran, Thinesh Kumar, Vishwanath, Nimalan, Ravi Chandaran, and an army doctor, Colonel Dr R Kunaseegaran, 55, had pleaded not guilty to the charge of murdering Kevin Morais, 55, between 7am and 8pm on Sept 4, 2015, while the deputy public prosecutor was on his way from Jalan Dutamas 1, Sentul to No 1, Jalan USJ 1/ 6D, Subang Jaya.

His remains were found in a concrete-filled drum in Persiaran Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya near here on Sept 16, 2015, after he was reported missing on Sept 4, 2015.

They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code and faced the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

Dinishwaran, 26, Thinesh Kumar, 25, Vishwanath; 28, Nimalan and Ravi Chandaran were represented by Rajehgopal, while Dr Kunaseegaran, 55, was represented by lawyer Datuk N Sivananthan.

The prosecution team was led by deputy public prosecutor Saiful Edris Zainuddin.

The hearing continues today. — Bernama