Taxi driver admits meeting prime suspect in Ambank founder's murder

A taxi driver who is charged in a case linked with the murder of the founder of the Arab-Malaysian Banking Group (AmBank), Hussain Ahmad Najadi, told the Sessions Court here today that he met the prime suspect in the murder case at two locations here.

Chew Siang Chee, 45, said he met the suspect, known as "Ah Kwan", and another man known as "Ah Meng" at a Chinese temple and a mamak shop at Jalan Ceylon, before the murder.

During the meeting, Ah Kwan and Ah Meng were planning to shoot a man, but he objected to the plan, he said when cross-examined by deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin.

To another question by Wan Shaharuddin whether the Chinese temple where the meeting took place was the same one as the temple at Jalan Ceylon, where the murder took place, Chew said "no".

He also disagreed with Wan Shaharuddin who said that he (Chew) knew the prime suspect in the murder case and Ah Meng.

On a pistol which was found in a letter box at Kondominium Desa Cindaimas, Chew, who testified as a witness, said he was framed by Ah Kwan as they used to be enemies because of money.

Earlier, during examination-in-chief by lawyer R. Ramesh, Chew told the court that he was not involved in the murder.

Chew said this when ordered by Judge Azwarnida Affandi to enter his defence for possession of a pistol and bullets after ruling that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie case.

Nine prosecution witnesses had testified and today was fixed for decision.

Azwarnida ordered Chew to enter his defence immediately after she gave her ruling.

On the first charge, he was alleged to have possessed a PPK/S Cal.9mm Kurz/380ACP Walther pistol with a Walter magazine in the letter box of B-15-2, Desa Cindaimas Condomunium, Jalan Sekutu, off Jalan Kuchai Lama, Brickfields at 5.45pm on Aug 3 last year. The offence under Section 8 of the Firearms (Increased Penalties) Act 1971 carries a maximum jail sentence of 14 years and caning of not less than six strokes, upon conviction.

Chew was also charged with possession of four 9mm (short) (S&B 9mm) live bullets without a permit, at the same time and place. The charge, according to Section 8(a) of the Firearms Act 1960, provide for a maximum jail term of seven years, or fine not more than RM10,000 or both. The court set Jan 27 to hear submission by the prosecution and the defence.

On July 29 last year, a gunman shot dead Hussain, 75, at close range and seriously injured the banker's wife, Chong Mei Kuen, 49, near a parking lot when the couple emerged from a temple in Lorong Ceylon here.