KUCHING: Four men who caused the death of a 32-year-old woman three years ago have been sent to the gallows.High Court judge Datuk Linton Albert said the prosecution had proven their guilt beyond reasonable doubt while the defence counsel had failed to produce any evidence showing that the men had not committed the crime.
Goh Wee Kian, Farose Tamure Mohamad Khan, Abdul Hadi Sabeni and Saidina Sabeni were convicted of killing Catherine Chong Jang Joon about 1.30am on Aug 9, 2007.
They committed the offence at a parking lot in front of a nightspot at Central Park, Mile 3, Jalan Penrissen.
They were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for mandatory death sentence.
The first accused, Goh, initially ordered another man (who was the key witness) to threaten Chong by scratching her face so that she would not go out at night unarmed. Later Goh asked Abdul Hadi, Saidina and Farose to do the same.
Abdul Hani and Sadina, who are brothers, and Farose searched for Chong and found her at the abovementioned nightspot.
Abdul Hani and Sadina testified that by then they had changed their intention from threatening Chong to robbing her.
However, when Chong put up resistance and defended herself with a knife outside the night spot, the brothers overpowered her and stabbed her with the same weapon.
Chong, from Jalan Sin San Tu in Batu Kawa, was stabbed no less than five times in the neck and upper chest area.
Farose, Abdul Hadi and Saidina were paid RM1,600 each after they informed Goh that they had completed their tasks.
They received the blood-money underneath Bintawa Bridge.
Patrons of a nightspot and a 24-hour food court at Central Park found Chong’s body in the middle of the road early in the morning.
Yesterday, when the judge delivered his judgement, the four men remained outwardly calm.
Counsels Wit Malang, Roger Chin, Anthony Tai, Osman Ibrahim and Abang Mohd Tosen represented the men while Musli Ab Hamid appeared for the prosecution.