KUALA LUMPUR: A contractor was sentenced to death by the High Court here after being found guilty of the double murder of a coffeeshop and cybercafe operator and her employee by using explosives.

High Court judge Justice Su Geok Yiam in passing the sentence against Mohd Khayry Ismail, 48, said “we find the defence has failed to prove a reasonable doubt against the accused”.

Mohd Khayry was charged with murdering coffeeshop and cybercafe operator Ng Siew Hong, 54, in front of her apartment in Desa Tun Razak, in Cheras here between 8am and 8.30am on Aug 29, 2010.

He was also charged with murdering shop worker Goh Yong Seng, 38, at the same place and time.

According to case facts, Mohd Khayry had been a friend of Ng, and often visited her restaurant and cybercafe, where he would engage in gambling.

Over time, however, Mohd Khayry accrued a lot of gambling debts to Ng, which was the motive for the murder.

He then prepared a box containing explosives made from firecrackers and petrol, and placed it at Ng’s residence, putting two pomeloes on top of it.

Ng and Goh went to inspect the box, which exploded after Goh moved the pomeloes.

Both of them were rushed to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital, where they eventually died from severe burns.

In his defence, Mohd Khayry denied committing the murder, but admitted to sending the box, which he claimed contained pickles and fruits.

In mitigation, his lawyers Datuk Hanif Hashim and Zamri Ibrahim said Mohd Khayry was repentant for what he had done, and had no prior criminal record.

DPP Ahmad Akram Gharib, however, stressed that two lives had been lost due to Mohd Khayry’s actions.

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