Ambank founder's murder: High Court upholds cabbie's conviction

The High Court here today upheld the conviction against taxi driver Chew Siang Chee, who was linked to the murder of Arab-Malaysian Banking Group (Ambank) founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi, for possession of a pistol and four live bullets.

Judge Kamardin Hashim dismissed Chew's appeal against the conviction and sentence after hearing the submissions by the prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin and defence counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik.

The Sessions Court had sentenced Chew, 46, to 10 years' jail and six strokes of the cane for possession of the pistol and another four years for possession of the live bullets, to be served consecutively.

However today, the High Court ordered Chew to serve the jail sentences concurrently from the date of his arrest in July 2013.

"The court finds the appeal by the appellant had no merit. Therefore, the appeal against the conviction and sentence by the Sessions Court is upheld," Kamardin said in his judgment.

Last Aug 19, the Court of Appeal ordered the High Court to rehear Chew's appeal against his conviction and sentence by the Sessions Court.

On Sept 4 last year, justice Datuk Mohd Azman Husin dismissed Chew's appeal against the conviction and sentence, but amended the jail term to run concurrently, which meant Chew would only have to serve 10 years.

Chew had appealed to the High Court after the Sessions Court found him guilty of possession of a Walther pistol and four live bullets at Desa Cindaimas condominium in Jalan Kuchai Lama, at about 5.45pm on Aug 3, 2013.

Hussain, 76, died, while his wife was seriously injured after being shot at as they emerged from the Kuan Yin Temple in Lorong Ceylon here on July 29, 2013.

On that day, car repossesor Koong Swee Kuan, who was found guilty of murdering Hussain, was a passenger in Chew's taxi.