PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court here yesterday upheld the conviction and death sentence of an unemployed for the murder of the mother of a money lender whom he had borrowed money to gamble in Genting Highlands.
The five-man bench led by Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin said although no one saw Ooi Lai Seng shoot the deceased with a revolver, there was ample circumstantial evidence pointing to him committing the offence.
The panel, also comprising Federal Court judges Datuk Hashim Yusoff, Datin Paduka Zaleha Zahari, Datuk Zainun Ali and Datuk Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha, unanimously dismissed Ooi’s final appeal.
On Nov 5, 2009, the Temerloh High Court sentenced Ooi, 48, to death after finding him guilty of murdering 62-year-old Chong Tai Tai at Km0.5, Jalan Genting Highlands, Bentong, Pahang at about 1.45am on June 29, 2001.
He was also sentenced to 18 years’ jail by the High Court which also found him guilty of the charge of attempted murder of money lender Yee Woon Long, 53, at the same place, time and date.
Ooi was unsuccessful in his appeal at the Court of Appeal to set aside his conviction and death sentence, hence he appealed to the Federal Court.
He was, however, acquitted and discharged of the attempted murder charge by the Court of Appeal. The prosecution did not appeal against this decision.
Yee testified in the High Court that Ooi asked for a loan of RM2,000 as he suffered losses while gambling in Genting Highlands which he (Yee) subsequently gave a sum of RM1,000 first and remitted the balance to Ooi’s account the next day.
Yee testified that on the day of the incident, he sought out the accused for the return of the money, but Ooi first asked for a lift from him (Yee) to Kuala Lumpur to get the money which Yee refused.
Yee, who had brought his mother, the deceased, along with him then agreed to Ooi’s request to drive him (Ooi) to the First World Hotel in Genting Highlands for him to get the money.
A quarrel between Yee and the accused ensued with regard to the money borrowed when they were in the car and Ooi took out a pistol and threatened to shoot him (Yee).
Yee stopped the car and jumped out and at the same time he heard a gunshot and realised he was shot on the chest and the accused drove off in his (Yee’s) car with his (Yee’s) mother inside the car.
Yee also testified that he heard another gunshot.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tengku Amir Zaki Tengku Abdul Rahman appeared for the prosecution while Ooi was represented by lawyer S Vijaya Retnam. — Bernama