KUCHING: A roti canai seller from Miri, facing the death sentence for killing an Imam seven years ago, wanted his assigned counsel replaced yesterday.
HELD FOR MURDER: Ibrahim waiting outside the courtroom.
Ibrahim Mohamad was sentenced to death on Sept 26, 2005 in Miri High Court after he was found guilty of killing Ikhsan Mustapha, an Imam, about 8.30pm at Masjid Al-Taqwa in Jalan Merpati, Miri on June 19, 2003. Senior Federal Counsel Ya’acub Chik prosecuted.
Ibrahim asked during the mention of his case in front of three Court of Appeal judges for his defence counsel to be replaced and for the hearing of his case to be continued in court.
When the court asked him whether he would choose a lawyer or should the court assign one to defend him, he replied that if they were to assign a new lawyer, the hearing would be delayed, so insisted he defended himself.
But the court told him he must be defended by a lawyer.
The three judges, Datuk Wira Low Hop Bing, Datuk Syed Ahmad Helmy Syed Ahmad and Dato Mahamed Apandi Ali, however agreed as it was the right of an appellant to choose his lawyer.
The court adjourned the hearing to a later date.