PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court was informed today that there is evidence showing former pathologist Colonel Dr R. Kunaseegaran was involved in the murder case of Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais, whose body was found in a drum filled with concrete, 10 years ago.
DPP Mohd Fuad Abdul Aziz argued that although the first appellant, Kunaseegaran, was not at the scene of the incident, there were witness testimonies that proved the first appellant had a motive and was involved in the murder of the deceased (Morais).
“G. Gunasekaran, the 54th prosecution witness (SP54), in his evidence stated that he was told by the first appellant that the deceased was troubling the appellant by adding charges against him (for a corruption case).
“SP54 was contacted by the first appellant when he rushed out of his shop after seeing blood flowing out of the drum and while SP54 was recounting the incident, the appellant calmly asked SP54 not to interfere in the matter,“ he said at the hearing of the appeal of six men against their conviction and death sentence by the Court of Appeal.
Besides Kunaseegaran, 62, the other five individuals are moneylenders, S. Ravi Chandran, 54; and four unemployed persons, R. Dinishwaran, 33; A.K Thinesh Kumar, 32; M. Vishwanath, 35; and S. Nimalan, 32.
Mohd Fuad argued that Kunaseegaran’s action of showing a picture of the deceased’s car, which was found burnt, to Gunasekaran via the appellant’s mobile phone also proved his involvement in the murder.
“SP54 said the doctor showed him a picture of the car and informed him that the car belonged to the missing prosecutor,“ said Mohd Fuad.
Originally, Gunasekaran was charged with six others including Kunaseegaran for allegedly killing Morais, but the charges against him were withdrawn after he pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court for disposing of Morais’ body and was sentenced to two years in prison. Gunasekaran later became the prosecution’s main witness.
Meanwhile, Mohd Fuad said there was testimony from SP46 (DPP) stating that he saw Kunaseegaran’s reaction of dissatisfaction with the deceased’s actions every time the deceased added charges against the appellant, in addition to testimony stating that Kunaseegaran had paid the legal fees of other appellants.
“This shows the involvement of the first appellant and the five other appellants with common intent in causing the death of the deceased,“ he said.
The appeal was heard before a three-judge panel chaired by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat who sat with Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim and Federal Court judge Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang.
The panel then set tomorrow for case management to set a date for the appeal to be continued.
On March 14 last year, the Court of Appeal upheld the death sentences imposed by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on the six men.
On July 10, 2020, they were sentenced to death by the Kuala Lumpur High Court after being found guilty of murdering Morais at a location along Jalan Dutamas Raya Sentul and Jalan USJ 1/6D, Subang Jaya on Sept 4, 2015 between 7 am and 8 pm.
Morais, 55, was reported missing on that date and 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 Sept 16 of the same year.
