KUALA LUMPUR: An accused in the murder case of deputy public prosecutor Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais was sentenced to two years’ jail by the sessions court for hiding the remains of the victim and disposing of his car on Sept 4 and 5, last year.
Judge Azian Othman passed the sentence on G. Gunasekaran today, after the accused pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.
The 48-year-old jobless man was ordered to serve his jail time from the date of his arrest on Sept 15, 2015.
Following the decision, Gunasekaran could walk out a free man by Feb, after having served at least two-thirds of his sentence, which starts from the date of arrest.
Gunasekaran, one of seven defendants in the murder trial, was charged with hiding the remains of Morais and disposing of a car bearing the registration number WA 6264Q, with the intention of protecting the other six accused, namely S. Ravi Chandaran, 45; S. Nimalan, 23; A. Thinesh Kumar, 26; M. Vishwanath, 26; R. Dinishwaran, 24; and army pathologist Colonel Dr K. Kunaseegaran, 53, from legal punishment.
He committed the offence beginning at Jalan Dutamas 1, Sentul, and proceeded to an oil palm plantation in Kampong Sungai Samak, Hutan Melintang, Hilir Perak between 7am on Sept 4, 2015 and 2am the next day.
The alternative charge was made under Section 201 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years’ jail and a fine if convicted.
Previously, Gunasekaran was charged with murdering Morais, together with Ravi Chandaran, Nimalan, Thinesh Kumar, Vishwanath and Dinishwaran, while Kunaseegaran was charged with abetting the six of them.
In pleading leniency, Gunasekaran's counsel S. Ramesh told the court that his client was remorseful and apologised to his family members for putting them in public shame.
"He also apologises to the public, which was affected by Morais' death," he said.
Deputy public prosecutor Saiful Hazmi Mohd Saad prosecuted.
On Monday, a witness in the murder trial, Lim Khai Meng, 63, told the High Court that Gunasekaran bought a RM20 drum from him.
The lorry driver testified that the accused told him that he wanted to use it for rubbish disposal. Morais’ body was discovered in a sack in a cement-filled drum in a swamp in Subang Jaya.
Gunasekaran will testify as a prosecution witness before High Court judge Datuk Azman Abdullah tomorrow.
