The Star Online: Nation
The Star Online: Nation |
| Family quits home after tragedy Posted: BUKIT MERTAJAM: The family of a three-year-old toddler, who died of suffocation in an exorcism ritual gone wrong, is believed to have moved out of their home in Taman Bukit Minyak, Bukit Tengah here. A neighbour, who declined to be named, said the family rarely came home after the tragedy. "These days, the husband Chua Seng Ban only briefly stops by the house to feed the dog or clean the porch. He usually comes back twice a week around noon to avoid bumping into neighbours. "I also spotted the wife Lim She Lee coming to stay for the night a few times," she said here yesterday. The neighbour added that prior to the tragedy, the family hardly exchanged pleasantries with neighbours and only nodded to acknowledge them. "The family kept to themselves," she said. A check by The Star at the acupuncture and medical hall where Lim works as a traditional medicine practitioner showed that the shop has been closed for three consecutive days. The couple was among the six family members fined a total of RM55,000 by a Sessions Court after they pleaded guilty for negligently causing the death of Chua Wan Xuen on Aug 5 last year. Seng Ban and Lim, her uncle Chua Seng Hoo, 29, aunt Chua Ah Luan, 40, and grandmother Ong Soh Guat, 67, were each fined RM10,000 in default five months jail while her 21-year-old cousin Loke Xim Lin was fined RM5,000 in default two months jail. The eighth person was their Indonesian maid, who became a prosecution witness, and testified against the family. Wan Xuen, aged two years and nine months at the time, was found naked and pinned under eight people during the ritual. |
| Businessman's car gets blown up Posted: KUALA LUMPUR: A wealthy businessman, who owns several restaurants and nightclubs in the city, escaped death when his luxury car was blown up even as he was in the car. Both he and his driver escaped unhurt. A bomb strapped below the vehicle apparently exploded sending ball bearings ripping through the boot of the Jaguar. The businessman, a Datuk Seri, and his driver were passing Taman Taynton View in Cheras on Monday night when the device was detonated on Monday night. The businessman, however, is said to be a former detainee under the Emergency Ordinance and had been detained in Simpang Renggam for more than a year. According to the report lodged by his driver, they were driving past Jalan Nadchantiram in the area at about 8.45pm when the back of the car blew up. He said they stopped the car and rushed out. When they inspected the damage later, there were ball bearings in the boot and the back of the car was blown off. City CID chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Ku Chin Wah said the the blast damaged the rear of the car and no one, not even other motorists or passers-by, were injured. Police believe the incident could be an act of sabotage. It is believed the Datuk Seri, who received his title from Pahang, had been detained under the Emergency Ordinance in 2005 and released 17 months later. There is also talk that he may have been involved in underworld activities that may have led to the attack on him and his car. Related stories: |
| Bail for couple in maid's death Posted: GEORGE TOWN: A couple who were each jailed 24 years for starving their Cambodian maid to death raised RM300,000 with the help of their relatives after a High Court here granted them bail pending their appeal. Justice Zamani Abdul Rahim allowed hardware store owner Soh Chew Tong, 44, and his wife Chin Chui Ling, 41, a stay of execution on their jail terms and bail of RM150,000 in two sureties each. He also ordered them to surrender their international passports to the court and to report to the Simpang Ampat police station between the first and third days of every month until a decision is made by the Court of Appeal.  Soh and Chin emerging from the courtroom in George Town. Chin's mother was seen wiping away tears when she heard that the couple were allowed bail. She had waited outside the courtroom with the couple's three-year-old daughter before the proceeding began. On May 16, Justice Zamani found the couple guilty of causing the death of Mey Sichan, 24, at their home in Taman Asas Mumi, Jalan Bukit Minyak in Bukit Mertajam, between Jan 1 and April 1, last year. They were originally charged with murder under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carries the mandatory death sentence, but on March 28, the judge amended the charge to culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304(a), which carries a jail term of up to 30 years and a possible fine. During the trial earlier, the court had heard that Mey weighed only 26.1kg when she was rescued by the authorities. She subsequently died. Justice Zamani had ordered the couple to serve their jail term from the date of arrest on April 1 last year. Yesterday, the couple were represented by counsel B. Jeyasingam while deputy public prosecutor Lim Cheah Yit prosecuted. |
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