Hussain Najadi case: Taxi driver sentenced 14 years in prison

The taxi driver who allegedly ferried the suspected murderer of Arab-Malaysian Development Bank founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi was today sentenced to 14 years in prison and whipped six times for the charge of owning a pistol, magazine and four live bullets.

The Star Online reported that Sessions Court judge, Azwarnida Affandi made the ruling against Chew Siang Cee, 46, after finding that the prosecution had managed to create a reasonable doubt at the end of the hearing.

Chew was sentenced to 10 years in prison and whipped six times for owning a Walther pistol and magazines and another four years for owning four live bullets.

Azwarnida had ordered for the sentencing to run concurrently from the date of Chew’s arrest on August 3, 2013.

Chew was represented by lawyer Ramesh Raj while the prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.

Chew was charged for owning a Walther PPK/S Cal. 9mm Kurz/380ACP type pistol together with a Walther magazine which is against the law at P.O Box B-15-2, Condominium Desa Cindaimas, Jalan Sekutu, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, Brickfields at 5.45pm on August 3, 2013.

The charge was made under Section 8 of the Firearm Act (Increased Penalty) 1971 (Act 37) which carries the maximum sentence of 14 years in prison and not less than six strokes of the rotan, if found guilty.

Chew was also charged for owning four 9mm (short) (S&B 9mm) type live bullets without licence at the same time and place.

The charges under Section 8(a) of the Firearms Act 1960 (Act 206) carries a maximum seven years in prison or fine of not more than RM10,000 or both.

The media had earlier reported that the taxi driver had ferried the suspect in relation to the murder of Hussain Najadi who was shot dead on July 29, 2013.

During the incident, Hussain, 75, died while his wife Chong Mei Kuan, 46, was badly injured when they were shot from nearat the parking lot of a Chinese temple at Lorong Ceylon here.