Published: Thursday March 1, 2012 MYT 6:53:00 PM

Banting murders: Sosilawati planned to sell Penang land for RM200mil

SHAH ALAM: The High Court hearing the murders of cosmetic millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya and three others was told Thursday that her company was involved in the sale and purchase deal of a piece of land in Penang with a company whose member of the board of directors included an assemblyman from Selangor.

Investigating officer ASP Mohd Ishak Yaakob said Sosilawati's company, Southern Symphony Sdn Bhd, planned to sell the land to Ample Quality Sdn Bhd, where Sementa Assemblyman, Datuk Abdul Rahman Palil, was a director.

Cross-examined by lawyer Manjeet Singh Dhillon, representing first accused former lawyer N. Pathmanabhan, the 99th prosecution witness said Southern Symphony planned to sell the land for RM200mil.

Mohd Ishak also agreed with Manjeet Singh who said that the land, meant for the Batu Feringghi development project, cost millions of ringgit.

Questioned by Manjeet Singh on the amount paid by Ample Quality to buy the land from Southern Symphony, Mohd Ishak said a deposit of RM2.9mil was paid.

Mohd Ishak was continuing his testimony in the trial involving Pathmanabhan and three farm workers, T. Thilaiyalagan, R. Matan and R. Khatavarayan, who are charged with murdering Sosilawati, 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati's driver, Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.

Pathmanabhan, 43, Thilaiyalagan, 21, Matan, 22, and Kathavarayan, 32, are charged with committing the offence at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat in Banting between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30, 2010.

They are charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code that carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

To a question from Manjeet Singh what would happen to the project if Southern Symphony were to withdraw the agreement, Mohd Ishak said the project would be abandoned.

He agreed with Manjeet Singh that Southern Symphony, established on April 13, 2007, was a 'special purpose vehicle company' for the Penang land deal.

Mohd Ishak, from the Dang Wangi district police headquarters, also said that the analysis carried out on the 65 soil samples taken from the farm, said to be the location where the victims were allegedly murdered, did not contain any accelerant residue.

The hearing before Judge Datuk Akhtar Tahir continues Friday. - Bernama

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