Appellant hospitalised: Sosilawati murder appeal to resume Monday

PUTRAJAYA: The hearing of an appeal by four men convicted of the murder of cosmetics millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and her three aides will resume on Monday (Nov 7) as one of the appellants was still warded in hospital.
When contacted, lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, who is representing one of the men, R. Matan, said parties in the appeal were notified by the court yesterday afternoon that the matter was adjourned to Monday as fourth appellant R. Kathavarayan was still hospitalised.
When contacted by Bernama, Kathavarayan's lawyer, T. Vijayandran said his client was still warded at the Putrajaya Hospital.
He said his client was conscious but could not speak, adding that he (Kathavarayan) was able to respond to his request for him (Kathavarayan) to lift his hands and legs, when he went to see him (Kathavarayan) at 3pm yesterday.
Vijayandran said doctors were still examining him to identify what was wrong with Kathavarayan.
"The doctor asked me to talk to him and requested me to ask Kathavarayan to raise his hands and legs.
When they told him to do so, he did not respond. But he responded when I asked him to raise his hands and legs," he added.
He said doctors wanted to know what he had eaten but Kathavarayan was unable to speak.
Vijayandran said Kathavarayan was intubated on the day he arrived at the hospital but the intubation had already been removed. They also inserted intravenous fluids in him.
On Tuesday, the Federal Court had to adjourned the appeal after Kathavarayan was taken ill when the court was about to resume after lunch break. He was subsequently rushed to the hospital.
The appeal was scheduled to be heard today, before a five-man Federal Court panel led by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria to obtain a report from the hospital on Kathavarayan's condition.
Former lawyer N. Pathmanabhan, 46, farmhands T. Thilaiyalagan, 24, Matan, 25, and Kathavarayan, 36, are facing the death sentence after being found guilty of the murder of Sosilawati, 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati's driver, Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.
They were convicted by the Shah Alam High Court on May 25, 2013 for committing the offence at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat in Banting on Aug 30, 2010.
The Court of Appeal on Dec 4 last year upheld their conviction and death sentence. — Bernama