The defence in the murder case involving cosmetics millionaire Sosilawati Lawiya and three other individuals closed its case after calling the last of its 30 witnesses today.

High Court Judge Akhtar Tahir fixed May 9 and May 10 for submissions, and May 23 for judgment.

Throughout the staggered trial of almost two years, which commenced on July 4, 2011, 742 exhibits were tendered and 6,000 pages of notes of proceedings produced. During the prosecution stage, 108 witnesses were called.

Former lawyer N Pathmanabhan, 43, and three farm workers T Thilaiyalagan, 21, R Matan, 22, and R Kathavarayan, 33, stand accused of murdering Sosilawati, 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati’s driver Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.

They allegedly committed the offence at Ladang Gadong, Lot 2001 in Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30, 2010.

The charge under Section 302 of the Penal Code carries the death sentence on conviction.    
The prosecution was represented by deputy public prosecutors Ishak Mohd Yusoff, Saiful Edris Zainuddin, Idham Abd Ghani and Siti Rohaida Che Hamid.

Pathmanabhan was defended by counsel Manjeet Singh Dhillon and Pushpa Ratnam, Thilaiyalagan by counsel Gurbachan Singh, Matan by counsel Amer Hamzah Arshad and Khatavarayan by counsel Hasshahari Johari Mawi.

- Bernama