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2017 MarsdenLR 2602
FEDERAL COURT PUTRAJAYA
PATHMANABHAN NALLIANNEN – Appellant
Versus
PP & OTHER APPEALS – Respondent
[Criminal Appeals Nos: 05-277-12-2015(B) 05-281-12-2015(B) 05-278-12-2015(B) & 05-280-12-2015(B)]
The absence of direct evidence in murder cases can be mitigated by the strength of circumstantial evidence establishing guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Headnote:The court analyzed the applicability of Sections 302 and 34 of the Penal Code amidst circumstantial evidence involving multiple accused persons. The appellants were convicted for the murder of Sosilawati and three others, wherein the prosecution relied on DNA and circumstantial evidence to establish guilt. Issues raised included the validity of witness impeachment and the evidentiary weight of DNA findings. The appeal was dismissed affirming convictions, but the 3rd accused's lack of sufficient evidence resulted in acquittal.
| Table of Content |
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| 1. the decision outlines the context of appeal against prior convictions. (Para 1 , 2 , 57) |
| 2. highlights the application of circumstantial and evidentiary law in establishing guilt. (Para 58 , 128) |
| 3. summarizes the court's reinforcement of the convictions based on established evidence. (Para 250 , 252) |
Introduction
[1] These are the appeals against the decision of the Court of Appeal dated 4 December 2015 which dismissed the appellants' appeals against the decision of the High Court.
[2] In the High Court, each of the appellant was charged with four charges under s 302 of the Penal Code read together with s 34 of the same Code for the murder of Kamaruddin bin Shamsuddin (Kamal), Noorhisham bin Mohammad (Hisham), Sosilawati binti Lawiya (Sosilawati) and Ahmad Kamil bin Abdul Karim (Kamil) , an offence which carries the mandatory death penalty. In this judgment, unless identified separately, the deceased persons will be collectively referred to as "Sosilawati and the three others". The appellants were convicted as charged and sentenced to death. The four charges read as follows:
First Charge
"Bahawa kamu pada 30 Ogos 2010 di antara 8.30 malam dan 9.45 malam, bertempat di Lot No 2001, Jalan Tanjung Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting di dalam Daerah Kuala Langat, di dalam Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan, bagi mencapai niat bersama kamu semua telah melakukan bunuh ke atas Kamaruddin bin Shamsuddin (No K/P 660809-06-5241) dan dengan itu kamu telah melakukan satu kesalahan yang boleh dihukum di bawah s 302 Kanun Keseksaan yang dibaca bersama dengan s 34 Kanun yang sama."
Second Charge
"Bahawa kamu pada 30 Ogos 2010 di antara 8.30 malam dan 9.45 malam, bertempat di Lot No 2001, Jalan Tanjung Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting di dalam Daerah Kuala Langat , di dalam Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan, bagi mencapai niat bersama kamu semua telah melakukan bunuh ke atas Noorhisham bin Mohammad (No K/P 720913-01-5043) dan dengan itu kamu telah melakukan satu kesalahan yang boleh dihukum di bawah s 302 Kanun Keseksaan yang dibaca bersama dengan s 34 Kanun yang sama."
Third Charge
"Bahawa kamu pada 30 Ogos 2010 di antara 8.30 malam dan 9.45 malam, bertempat di Lot No 2001, Jalan Tanjung Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting di dalam Daerah Kuala Langat , di dalam Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan, bagi mencapai niat bersama kamu semua telah melakukan bunuh ke atas Sosilawati binti Lawiya (No K/P 630712-01-5240) dan dengan itu kamu telah melakukan satu kesalahan yang boleh dihukum di bawah s 302 Kanun Keseksaan yang dibaca bersama dengan s 34 Kanun yang sama."
Fourth Charge
"Bahawa kamu pada 30 Ogos 2010 di antara 8.30 malam dan 9.45 malam, bertempat di Lot No 2001, Jalan Tanjung Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting di dalam Daerah Kuala Langat , di dalam Negeri Selangor Darul Ehsan, bagi mencapai niat bersama kamu semua telah melakukan bunuh ke atas Ahmad Kamil bin Abdul Karim (No K/P 781023-05-5253) dan dengan itu kamu telah melakukan satu kesalahan yang boleh dihukum di bawah s 302 Kanun Keseksaan yang dibaca bersama dengan s 34 Kanun yang sama."
[3] For convenience, in this judgment the appellants will be referred to as they were in the High Court. Pathmanabhan a/l Nalliannen will be referred to as the 1st accused, Thilaiyallagan a/l Thanasagaran will be referred to as the 2nd accused, Matan a/l Ravichandran will be referred to as the 3rd accused and Kathavarayan a/l Rajodorai will be referred to as the 4th accused. Where reference is to a single accused person, he will be referred to as "the accused" and where reference is to more than one accused person, they will be referred to as "the accused persons".
Proceedings In The High Court
Brief Facts
[4] In the afternoon of 30 August 2010 (the day in question), Sosilawati left for Banting, Selangor. She told her daughter, Erni Dekriwati Yuliana bt Buhari (SP15), that she was going to Banting to meet her lawyer, the 1st accused.
