MALAYSIA: NEPALI SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING FELLOW COUNTRYMAN

September 7, 2020:

The High Court in Ipoh, Malaysia, on 17 August 2020 sentenced a Nepali man to death after finding him guilty of murdering a lorry driver and fellow countryman four years ago.
Judge Datuk Mohd Radzi Harun handed down the sentence on Suruj Dev Sah Teli, 36, after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt at the end of its case.
He said maximum and detailed assessment had been done on the testimonies of all 18 prosecution witnesses, two defence witnesses as well the 65 case exhibits produced throughout the trial. 
In his judgement, Mohd Radzi said he was also satisfied with the way the prosecution had successfully met all elements under Section 302 of the Penal Code to prove that the accused was responsible for Harithas Raman’s death.
While Mohd Radzi was reading his judgement, an anxious Suruj Dev was several times seen turning to the court interpreter standing beside him to know his fate.
As soon as he was informed of the verdict, Suruj Dev, an oil palm plantation worker in Hutan Melintang, hung his head low in disappointment.
Suruj Dev is charged with causing 34-year-old Harithas’ death at a house in Kampung Mutiara Batu 10, Hutan Melintang between 1.30am and 4.05am on 2 December 2016.
The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor Ainul Wardah Shahidan while Suruj Dev was represented by Datin Kharen Jitkaur, counsel from the Nepal Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
On 6 December 2016, it was reported in the media that a married woman had conspired with her Nepali lover, to murder her husband at her house in Hutang Melintang in Bagan Datuk.