PUTRAJAYA, Sept 30 — A ship cleaner lost his appeal at the Court of Appeal here to set aside his death sentence for murdering a millionaire businessman whose burnt remains were found in an oil palm estate.

Justice Datuk Yaacob Md Sam who chaired a three-member bench held that Izwanuddin Kasim’s conviction for the murder was safe.

Justice Yaacob who sat with Justices Datuk Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah and P. Ravinthran unanimously dismissed Izwanuddin’s appeal against his conviction and death sentence.

Izwanuddin, 38, was appealing against the Johor Baru High Court decision on October 1, 2017 that found him guilty and sentenced him to death for killing Yong Boon Cheong, 54, along Jalan Skudai, Danga Bay, Johor Bahru, between 6am and 7am, on July 4, 2014.

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In his judgment, the High Court judge, Datuk Mohd Sofian Abd Razak said the events leading to the murder began with a fight between Izwanuddin and Yong at the latter’s house in Danga Bay after Yong accused him (Izwanuddin) of trying to knock into the back of his Jaguar car.

Evidence from a witness testified that Izwanuddin claimed that the deceased threw an object and it hit the door of his Mitsubishi Evo.

Mohd Sofian said there was evidence from a witness who said that a switchblade knife was in the hands of the accused during the incident thus matching the pathologist evidence confirming the victim died of stabs in the chest that had penetrated the heart, caused by a sharp object.

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Mohd Sofian said Izwanuddin was also identified by a witness, namely a petrol vendor from whom the accused had bought petrol.

He said evidence of a witness who was a member of the Kampung Seri Paya, Parit Raja security and safety committee said that he found a human charred body in the oil palm estate and he then informed the village headman.

Izwanuddin was represented by lawyer Amer Hamzah Arshad while deputy public prosecutor Jasmee Hameeza Jaafar prosecuted.

Izwanuddin has one more tier of appeal, that is the Federal Court. — Bernama