Sosilawati Murders: Death Penalty On Ex-Lawyer And Another Upheld

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- The Federal Court has upheld the death sentences of a former lawyer and a former farmhand for the murders of cosmetics millionairess Sosilawati Lawiya and her three aides, committed 14 years ago.

The three-judge panel, led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, today rejected the applications submitted by N. Pathmanabhan, 55, and T. Thilaiyalagan, 33, to review their death sentences.

“In exercising our judicial discretion and having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case, we dismiss the applications. The death sentence is maintained,” said Justice Tengku Maimun.

Meanwhile, another former farmhand, R. Kathavarayan, 44, withdrew his application to review the death sentence, which the panel subsequently struck out. This means Kathavarayan’s death penalty stays.

The review applications were filed in an attempt to have the death sentences commuted to imprisonment following the Mandatory Death Penalty Abolition Act 2023, which took effect on July 4 last year.

Pathmanabhan, Thilaiyalagan and Kathavarayan, were convicted by the High Court in Shah Alam in May 2013 for killing Sosilawati, 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32 and Sosilawati's driver Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.

The murders took place at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat in Banting between 8.30 pm and 9.45 pm on Aug 30, 2010.

Their appeals were dismissed by the Court of Appeal and Federal Court on December 4, 2015 and March 16, 2017 respectively.

Initially, there were four men charged but the Federal Court acquitted R. Matan, 33, after finding there was insufficient evidence to implicate him in the murders.

At the start of the proceedings today, lawyer Latheefa Koya informed the court that she had received instructions from her client, Kathavarayan, to withdraw his review application. She said she had advised him on the matter but he maintained his decision to proceed with the withdrawal.

Lawyers Manjeet Singh Dhillon and Amer Hamzah Arshad representing Pathmanabhan and Thilaiyalagan respectively requested the court to commute their client’s death sentence to imprisonment.

Manjeet asked the court to consider the pain, anguish and loneliness Pathmanabhan has faced during his incarceration.

Meanwhile, Amer Hamzah requested the court to consider that his client Thilaiyalagan, is a youthful offender who deserves a second chance to redeem himself.

Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar argued for the death penalty, emphasising that four innocent lives were taken brutally.

He said there was violence involved as blood stains were found splattered on the farmhouse walls and a prosecution witness had testified that she heard screams at the farm on the day of the incident.

Dusuki said a victim impact statement by one of Sosilawati’s daughter stated that that she could not bear to hear the word "Banting," as it would traumatise her.

He also said the victims’ bodies were completely burned, leaving no remnants.

It was reported that Sosilawati and her aides went missing after travelling to Banting for a land deal.

— BERNAMA