SHAH ALAM: A plantation worker told a High Court here that his son was “tricked and forced” into confessing that he was responsible for burning the bodies of four victims, including cosmetics millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya.

N. Kandasamy, 52, testified that his son K. Sarawanan, 22, who was arrested in connection with the murders of Sosilawati and her three companions, was told by “everyone” to confess a day before he was brought to the court.

“I told him not to confess and that I had arranged with lawyer A.S. Dhaliwal who would help him. I told Dhaliwal that my son called me to tell me that he was forced to confess,” said Kandasamy.

Sarawanan and another man U. Suresh, 30, are currently serving a total of 28 years’ jail each in Sungai Udang prison, Malacca, after pleading guilty to disposing of evidence in the murders of Sosilawati, 47, her driver Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44, CIMB bank offi­cer Noorhisham Mohammad, 38, and lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32.

On Oct 15, 2010, Sarawanan admitted to burning the bodies of the victims at Lot No 2001, Jalan Tanjung Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting, on Aug 30, 2010, while Suresh threw the ashes into Sungai Panchau in Jalan Morib the next day (Aug 31, 2010).

In that proceeding, both Sarawanan and Suresh were represented by lawyers Roslie Sulle, M. Puravalen and Muhammad Naguib Abdul Malik.

Kandasamy said that after informing Dhali­wal, he contacted a lawyer known as “Rosli” and told him not to go to court the next day because he had elected Dhaliwal to represent his son.

Kandasamy had earlier met Rosli when he went to the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters (IPK) after Sarawanan’s remand order was extended on Oct 9, 2010.

He said in that meeting, a police officer named Azlan told him to drop Dhaliwal and appoint Rosli instead.

“Rosli said if he was the lawyer, he would make sure Sarawanan would walk free. I discussed with another police officer who recommended that I appoint Rosli as everything would be taken care of by him,” he said.

Kandasamy added that when he told Rosli not to come, the lawyer reminded him that he (Kandasamy) had signed a letter of appointment for him (Rosli) to represent Sarawanan and he would appear in court.

To a question by lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad, Kandasamy said he and his son felt “cheated” by Rosli. “I feel that Sarawanan was threatened (by the police into confessing),” he said.

The hearing continues today before Justice Akhtar Tahir.

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