Tuesday July 27, 2010
Ah Long to hang for murder
By K. KASTURI DEWI
GEORGE TOWN: Not enough with sentencing them to death, a High Court judge verbally slew two loan sharks here for the murder of a man over a mere RM150.
The money was debt owed to the two men by the victim’s brother four years ago.
“You did not show any sympathy to the victim, as though there is no law in your life,” Justice Abdul Halim Aman told Tan How Choon, 34, and Poh Weng Nam, 31, yesterday.
To the gallows: Tan (second left) and Poh being led away after being sentenced to death in George Town yesterday.
“Other people’s lives seem to be of no value to you. What is important to you is money, money, money,” he lashed out, when meting out the death sentence on Tan and Poh.
The judge said what the two men did to their victim, Lee Lai Beng, 44, was cruel and inhumane, especially since the murdered man did not even owe them any money.
Tan, a businessman, and Poh, a DVD seller, were found guilty of murdering Lee along Jalan Pantai Bersih in Butterworth at 10pm on Sept 31, 2006.
They were charged with committing the offence together with five others still at large.
A third accused, Ho Han Choon, 30, who was jointly charged with Tan and Poh, had been acquitted and discharged after the court ruled that no common intention was proven that he was involved in the crime.
Justice Abdul Halim told Tan and Poh: “There is only one conclusion. You acted like uncivilised people.”
“The deceased died at a young age and because of this a wife lost a husband, his children lost a father, his parents lost a son and his younger brother lost a brother.”
Justice Abdul Halim added that Lee had nothing to do with the money owed to them by his (Lee’s) brother.
“The deceased had nothing to do with his brother’s debt but he was still murdered for reasons only known to both of you,” the judge said.
Justice Abdul Halim said the two men had slashed and stabbed Lee as well as almost severing the left hand of his younger brother.
The judge said the defence of both Tan and Poh were bare denials and afterthoughts.
He said the testimony by four witnesses, including Lee’s brother, was consistent with the prosecution’s case.
“The testimony of the deceased’s brother was so consistent and was not affected even after the defence had put him through intensive cross-examination,” he added.
Ah Long to hang for murder
By K. KASTURI DEWI
GEORGE TOWN: Not enough with sentencing them to death, a High Court judge verbally slew two loan sharks here for the murder of a man over a mere RM150.
The money was debt owed to the two men by the victim’s brother four years ago.
“You did not show any sympathy to the victim, as though there is no law in your life,” Justice Abdul Halim Aman told Tan How Choon, 34, and Poh Weng Nam, 31, yesterday.
To the gallows: Tan (second left) and Poh being led away after being sentenced to death in George Town yesterday.
“Other people’s lives seem to be of no value to you. What is important to you is money, money, money,” he lashed out, when meting out the death sentence on Tan and Poh.
The judge said what the two men did to their victim, Lee Lai Beng, 44, was cruel and inhumane, especially since the murdered man did not even owe them any money.
Tan, a businessman, and Poh, a DVD seller, were found guilty of murdering Lee along Jalan Pantai Bersih in Butterworth at 10pm on Sept 31, 2006.
They were charged with committing the offence together with five others still at large.
A third accused, Ho Han Choon, 30, who was jointly charged with Tan and Poh, had been acquitted and discharged after the court ruled that no common intention was proven that he was involved in the crime.
Justice Abdul Halim told Tan and Poh: “There is only one conclusion. You acted like uncivilised people.”
“The deceased died at a young age and because of this a wife lost a husband, his children lost a father, his parents lost a son and his younger brother lost a brother.”
Justice Abdul Halim added that Lee had nothing to do with the money owed to them by his (Lee’s) brother.
“The deceased had nothing to do with his brother’s debt but he was still murdered for reasons only known to both of you,” the judge said.
Justice Abdul Halim said the two men had slashed and stabbed Lee as well as almost severing the left hand of his younger brother.
The judge said the defence of both Tan and Poh were bare denials and afterthoughts.
He said the testimony by four witnesses, including Lee’s brother, was consistent with the prosecution’s case.
“The testimony of the deceased’s brother was so consistent and was not affected even after the defence had put him through intensive cross-examination,” he added.
