The Kuala Lumpur High Court today dismissed with cost a RM21 million suit by a murder suspect against several newspaper publishers and their editors for publishing stories and his photograph in their reports on the murder of marketing executive Noritta Samsuddin about seven years ago.

Judge Abdul Wahab Patail handed down his decision in chambers.

In the suit filed on March 26, 2004, broker Shahfrul Azrin Azman, 36, claimed that the publication of the stories and his photographs had directly or indirectly or through insinuations showed that he was the prime suspect in the case.

He named the New Straits Times Press, the New Straits Times Sdn Bhd, Abdullah Ahmad, Berita Harian Sdn Bhd, Hishamuddin Aun, Ahiruddin Atan and Mohd Zian Johari.

They were represented by lawyer Nad Segaram.

Lawyer SN Nair, who represented Shahfrul Azrin Azman, said he would appeal against the decision.

Shahfrul, 36, was detained three days to facilitate police investigations into Noritta's death after the woman was found dead at the Puncak Prima condominium in Sri Hartamas on Dec 5, 2003.

- Bernama