Federal court upholds death sentence of businessman for murder

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court today upheld the conviction and death sentence of a businessman for the murder of a female marketing executive 12 years ago.
A five-man bench chaired by Chief Justice Tun Md Raus Sharif ruled that Shahril Jaafar's conviction for the murder of Chee Gaik Yap was safe.
In a unanimous decision, the court dismissed Shahril's final appeal and affirmed the High Court conviction and death sentence which had been upheld by the Court of Appeal.
"From the totality of evidence available before the court, we are of the view that the appellant's conviction is safe," he said.
Justice Md Raus said the court was of the same view with the Court of Appeal in its ruling that the High Court was right to convict Shahril based on circumstantial evidence.
"Circumstantial evidence pointed to Shahril as the person responsible for causing Chee's death," said Justice Md Raus.
The other judges were Federal Court judges Tan Sri Hasan Lah, Tan Sri Zaharah Ibrahim, Tan Sri Jeffrey Tan Kok Wha and Datuk Alizatul Khair Osman Khairuddin.
Shahril, 36, in red and white prison clothes, looked calm when the verdict was announced by the court. His only option is to appeal to the Pardon's Board.
He had appealed against the decision of the Alor Star High Court on Aug 9, 2015, finding him guilty for murdering Chee, 25, near the Cinta Sayang Club in Taman Ria Jaya, Sungai Petani, between 5.30pm on Jan 14 and 3.05am on Jan 15, 2006.
On Nov 29, 2016, the Court of Appeal dismissed Shahril's appeal and upheld the High Court decision.
Chee had gone jogging with her younger sister at Kelab Cinta Sayang when she was abducted. Her semi-nude body was found nine hours later in a bush near the jogging track on Jan 15, 2006.
Shahril was initially acquitted of the murder by the Alor Star High Court on June 25, 2013, at the end of the prosecution's case without being called to enter his defence.
However, on appeal by the prosecution, the Court of Appeal overturned the acquittal and ordered Shahril to enter his defence.
He was subsequently found guilty and sentenced to death by the High Court at the end of the defence case.
Shahril was represented by lawyer Andrew Lourdes while deputy public prosecutor Ku Hayati Ku Haron appeared for the prosecution. — Bernama