Tapah murder case: Police call for inquest to determine cause of death

The Perak police will propose to the Magistrate's Court to conduct an inquest to investigate the cause of death of four individuals at the motor workshop in Jalan Pahang, here.

State CID Chief Datuk Goh Kok Liang said the police would refer the investigation papers on the case to the court after getting the approval of the Attorney-General's Chambers.

He said that to date the cause of death could not be proven especially as the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test obtained previously did not match.

"The police could not conclude that the four victims had been murdered. The proposal was made as the family members of the victims were not satisfied with the decision of the court ordering two suspects to undergo detention for two years.

"We propose that the case be referred to the court to seek a decision on the death of the four victims. This is the best way," he told reporters after meeting family members of the victims at the Tapah District Police Headquarters, here today.

Also present were Bukit Aman Deputy Director of CID (Investigation/Legal) Datuk Amar Singh Ishar Singh and Tapah OCPD Supt Som Sak Din Keliaw.

On Feb 5, The Crime Prevention Board had issued a Detention Order under the Prevention of Crime Act (POCA) 1959 on a man and his son pertaining to the murder case.

The Detention Order under Section 19A (1) POCA was imposed on the father and son.

The first individual, a 58-year-old mechanic, was detained at the Simpang Renggam Special Rehabilitation Centre, Johor for two years, while his 21-year-old son was detained at the Kluang Special Rehabilitation Centre, Johor for two years too.

On Oct 26 last year, police detained four suspects at a house in the motor workshop area in Jalan Pahang, Tapah at 1.30pm following the report of a missing man, aged 46, who worked as a planter and real estate agent in Kampung Sungai Lah, Chenderiang near here on Aug 25, last year.

Two other suspects, namely the wife and son of the mechanic who were previously remanded to assist the investigation, were released unconditionally on Dec 2 last year after finding that they were not linked to the disappearance of the man.