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Free Malaysia Today
01-07-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Court upholds death sentence for ex-military doctor in Kevin Morais murder case
The body of deputy public prosecutor Kevin Morais was found in a concrete-filled drum in Persiaran Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya, on Sept 16, 2015. (File pic) PUTRAJAYA : The Federal Court has upheld the death sentence imposed on former military doctor R Kunaseegaran over the murder of deputy public prosecutor Kevin Morais eight years ago. Two others – S Nimalan, 32; and S Ravi Chandran, 54 – were sentenced to 35 years and 40 years in prison, respectively. Nimalan was also ordered to receive 12 strokes of the rotan, while Ravi Chandran was spared caning due to his age. Chief Justice Tengku Maimum Tuan Mat, who led a three-member panel, said Kunaseegaran's death sentence remained as he had withdrawn his appeal against the sentence. The court acquitted three others – R Dinishwaran, 33; AK Thinesh Kumar, 32; and M Vishwanath – after ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against them. Justice Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, who delivered the broad grounds of judgment, said the prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence to convict Kunaseegaran, Nimalan and Ravi Chandran. 'On the totality of evidence, we find it was credible and compelling. 'We considered the defence of the three and they have not created doubt in the prosecution's case,' said Abang Iskandar, who is also the Court of Appeal president. The other judge on the bench was Justice Rhodzariah Bujang. Abang Iskandar said Dinishwaran, Thinesh Kumar and Vishwanath should have been acquitted without being ordered to enter their defence. 'We allow their appeals and hereby set aside their conviction for murder,' he added. Lawyer N Sivananthan, representing Kunaseegaran, informed the court that his client had instructed him to withdraw his appeal against the death penalty imposed by the High Court and affirmed by the Court of Appeal. Lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, representing Nimalan, and counsel Kitson Foong, appearing for Ravi Chandran, mitigated a jail term given the court's discretionary power following amendments to the penal laws two years ago. 'My client was 22 years old at the time of the incident. He deserves a second chance to turn over a new leaf,' Amer said in the courtroom. Foong conceded that the murder of Morais was gruesome, but pleaded for a jail term of between 30 and 40 years. Deputy public prosecutor Fairuz Johari, however, pressed for the death sentence to be maintained as the crime had been committed on a civil servant. 'The body was in a drum filled with cement to be disposed of,' he said, adding that the crime of abducting the deceased was committed in broad daylight. Other defence lawyers present were Y Sheelan Samuagan for Dinishwaran, Burhanudeen Abdul Wahid for Thinesh Kumar, and Afifuddin Ahmad Hafifi for Vishwanath. Deputy public prosecutors Fuad Abdul Aziz and Yusaini Abdul Karim also appeared for the prosecution. The High Court sentenced all of the accused to death on July 10, 2020, after finding them guilty of murdering Morais on Sept 4, 2015, somewhere between Sentul, Kuala Lumpur, and Subang Jaya in Selangor. Morais, 55, was reported missing on Sept 4, 2015, and was last seen leaving his apartment at Menara Duta in Kuala Lumpur in his official car. His body was found in an oil drum filled with cement in Subang Jaya 12 days later. The prosecution contends that some of the accused in a car staged an accident with the vehicle driven by Morais to abduct him as he was leaving his home.
Malay Mail
01-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Federal Court upholds death penalty for ex-army doctor, commutes sentences of two in Kevin Morais case
PUTRAJAYA, July 1 — The Federal Court today upheld the death sentence imposed on a former pathologist colonel for the murder of Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais in 2015. A three-man bench led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat affirmed the murder conviction of Colonel Dr R. Kunaseegaran, 62, S. Nimalan, 31 and S. Ravi Chandran, 53. However, both Nimalan and Ravi Chandran were spared the gallows after the court commuted the death sentences imposed on them by the High Court to life imprisonment. Nimalan was sentenced to 35 years in prison with 12 strokes of the cane, while Ravi Chandran was sentenced to 40 years in jail. The court did not impose whipping on Ravi Chandran as he is above 50 years of age. Justice Tengku Maimun said Kunaseegaran's death sentence remained as he had withdrawn his appeal against the sentence. Meanwhile, the panel, also comprising Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judge Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, discharged and acquitted the other three individuals, namely R. Dinishwaran, 32, A.K. Thinesh Kumar, 31, and M. Vishwanath, 34, for the murder. On July 10, 2020, the six men were sentenced to death after they were found guilty of killing Morais, 55, somewhere along Jalan Dutamas Raya Sentul and No. 1, Jalan USJ 1/6D, Subang Jaya, between 7 am and 8 pm on Sept 4, 2015. The Court of Appeal dismissed their appeals on March 14 last year. Morais, who was reported missing on Sept 4, 2015, was last seen leaving his apartment at Menara Duta, Kuala Lumpur, in a Proton Perdana. His body was found in a cement-filled oil drum at Persiaran Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya, on Sept 16 the same year. — Bernama
Malay Mail
01-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Federal Court upholds death penalty for ex-colonel, commutes sentences of two in Kevin Morais case
PUTRAJAYA, July 1 — The Federal Court today upheld the death sentence imposed on a former pathologist colonel for the murder of Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais in 2015. A three-man bench led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat affirmed the murder conviction of Colonel Dr R. Kunaseegaran, 62, S. Nimalan, 31 and S. Ravi Chandran, 53. However, both Nimalan and Ravi Chandran were spared the gallows after the court commuted the death sentences imposed on them by the High Court to life imprisonment. Nimalan was sentenced to 35 years in prison with 12 strokes of the cane, while Ravi Chandran was sentenced to 40 years in jail. The court did not impose whipping on Ravi Chandran as he is above 50 years of age. Justice Tengku Maimun said Kunaseegaran's death sentence remained as he had withdrawn his appeal against the sentence. Meanwhile, the panel, also comprising Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judge Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang, discharged and acquitted the other three individuals, namely R. Dinishwaran, 32, A.K. Thinesh Kumar, 31, and M. Vishwanath, 34, for the murder. On July 10, 2020, the six men were sentenced to death after they were found guilty of killing Morais, 55, somewhere along Jalan Dutamas Raya Sentul and No. 1, Jalan USJ 1/6D, Subang Jaya, between 7 am and 8 pm on Sept 4, 2015. The Court of Appeal dismissed their appeals on March 14 last year. Morais, who was reported missing on Sept 4, 2015, was last seen leaving his apartment at Menara Duta, Kuala Lumpur, in a Proton Perdana. His body was found in a cement-filled oil drum at Persiaran Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya, on Sept 16 the same year. — Bernama
Malay Mail
30-06-2025
- Malay Mail
Kevin Morais murder: Federal Court to deliver verdict on final appeal tomorrow of six men convicted in case
PUTRAJAYA, June 30 — The Federal Court will deliver its verdict tomorrow on the final appeal by six men who were convicted and sentenced to death for the 2015 murder of deputy public prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais. The decision will be handed down by a three-member bench led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, sitting with Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judge Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang. The judges had reserved their judgment on May 14, after hearing submissions from the prosecution and defence. Jasmine Cheong, one of the lawyers representing former pathologist Colonel Dr R. Kunaseegaran, told Bernama that the court notified the date for the decision this morning. Kunaseegaran, 62, along with S. Ravi Chandran, 54, and four others - R. Dinishwaran, 33; A.K. Thinesh Kumar, 32; M. Vishwanath, 35; and S. Nimalan, 32 - were convicted by the Kuala Lumpur High Court in July 2020 for the murder of Morais, 55. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction in a ruling delivered on March 14 last year. The murder took place at a location along Jalan Dutamas Raya Sentul and Jalan USJ 1/6D, Subang Jaya, between 7 am and 8 pm on September 4, 2015. Morais was last seen leaving in a Proton Perdana Car from his Menara Duta condominium, Kuala Lumpur, to his office at the Attorney-General's Chambers in Putrajaya. His body was found in a concrete-filled drum at Persiaran Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya, on September 16 of the same year. — Bernama
