The Sessions Court in Shah Alam today fixed May 17 for the re-mention of a case involving farm worker U Suresh, who had allegedly given a false statement in the murder of cosmetics millionaire Sosilawati Lawiya and three others at the High Court in Shah Alam.

Judge Mohamed Mokhzani Mokhtar set the date after allowing an application by the prosecution, represented by deputy public prosecutor Salwa Asmary Abdul Rahim.

Salwa Asmary asked for the case to be postponed to a later date while waiting for the verdict on the murder case on April 31.

Suresh, 28, and another farm worker, K Sarawanan, 21, are now serving their 20-year jail sentence at the Sungai Udang Prison in Malacca for disposing of evidence in the murder case.

On Aug 10 last year, Suresh pleaded not guilty and provided a statement in the proceedings between Prosecutor vs N Pathmanabhan, T Thilaiyalagan, R Matan and R Khatavarayan in front of Judge Akhtar Tahir which differed from the one he gave to recording officer ASP Ong Seng Keong on Oct 25, 2010, at the Sungai Udang Prison.

The accused was alleged to have committed the offence between 9.30am and noon on July 25 and 27, 2011, at the High Court in Shah Alam.

Suresh was charged according to Section 193 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum seven-year jail sentence and fine, upon conviction.

The accused was the 29th prosecution witness in the case of former lawyer Pathmanabhan, 43, farm workers Thilaiyagan, 21; Matan, 22; and Khatavarayan, 32; who were accused of murdering Sosilawati, 47; lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32; bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38; and chauffeur Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44; at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting, between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30, 2010.

On Oct 15, 2020, Suresh and Sarawanan were meted a sentence of 28 years each after they pleaded guilty at the Telok Datok magistrate’s court in Banting, on four counts of disposing of evidence in the murder.

Magistrate Hurmain Hussain ordered for the sentence to be carried out concurrently, meaning Sarawanan and Suresh will serve their prison sentence for seven years after they were arrested on Sept 9, 2010.

However, on Feb 21 last year, High Court judge Mohtaruddin Baki (now Appeals Court judge), reduced the sentence to five years for each charge but ordered it to be carried out consecutively.

- Bernama