Death sentence upheld for ex-tow truck driver who killed AmBank founder in broad daylight shooting
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — The death sentence of a former tow truck driver who murdered Arab-Malaysian Bank (AmBank) founder, Hussain Ahmad Najadi, in 2013, was upheld by the Federal Court in Putrajaya today.
Sinar Harian reported that a three-judge panel chaired by Datuk Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal unanimously upheld the decision after rejecting the death sentence review filed by applicant Koong Swee Kwan.
The other two members of the panel were Datuk Rhodzariah Bujang and Datuk Hanipah Farikullah.
When reading the judgment, Harmindar stated that in this case, Hussain, who was 75 years old at the time of the incident, sustained seven gunshot wounds to the chest at close range.
He noted that the murder was premeditated with a clear intent to ensure the victim would not survive the shooting.
“It was also an extraordinary act of violence as the murder occurred in broad daylight, shocking the community,” he was quoted as saying.
As a result, Harmindar said that the court rejected 55-year-old Koong’s application to set aside the death sentence.
Sinar Harian also reported that during the arguments, the lawyer representing the applicant, Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, argued that the case did not fall into the category of the rarest of rare incidents.
“Therefore, the applicant pleads for a prison sentence instead and for the court to set aside the death sentence.
“He, who suffers from asthma, has apologised to the victim’s family and has shown remorse during his imprisonment since 2013,” he was quoted as saying.
However, Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Yusaini Amer Abdul Karim argued that the case had shocked the nation given that the victim was a prominent banking figure.
“The applicant shot the victim seven times at close range, also hitting the victim’s wife, and then planned to escape by taxi,” he said.
On March 1, 2021, the Federal Court upheld Koong’s conviction and death sentence for the murder of the victim.
The three-judge panel also upheld the 18-year prison sentence for attempting to murder Hussain’s wife, Cheong Mei Kuen, 52.
Koong, known as Sei Ngan Chai, was accused of both offences in the parking area of the Kuan Yin Temple in Lorong Ceylon between 1:30pm and 2:00pm on July 29, 2013.
On September 5, 2014, Kuala Lumpur High Court Judge Mohd Azman Husin sentenced the accused to death, but on December 14, 2016, a five-judge panel of the Federal Court overturned the conviction and ordered a retrial in the High Court.
This decision was made after concluding that Mohd Azman might have been biased since the judge had heard the appeal of a taxi driver, Chew Siang Chee, who faced charges of possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Chew was reportedly the person who drove the vehicle that took Koong away from the scene after the shooting.
He was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Sessions Court for possession of a pistol and live ammunition, but was acquitted by the Court of Appeal in 2015.
In the incident, Hussain died at the scene while his wife was injured when they were shot in the parking area of the Kuan Yin Temple in Lorong Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur.
According to eyewitnesses, the couple was approached by an unknown man who then fired several shots at them.
The shooter then fled in a taxi with two other individuals.
