The High Court hearing the murders of cosmetics millionaire Sosilawati Lawiya and three others was today told oabout the discovery of various items, including burnt bone fragments, six zinc sheets with burnt marks on them and two mobile phones belonging to two of the victims at four locations in Banting by divers from the Marine Operations Force (MOF).

    

Corporal Merzuki Shahrim, 43, from the Region 1 GOF, Penang, said his team, comprising Lance Corporal Muhamad Hazriman Ismail, Lance Corporal Kesatoper Wine Anak Assan, Lance Corporal Mohd Shukri Baharuddin, Lance Corporal Mohd Shahril Sharif and Lance Corporal Shapiwal Ameree Shapie, was instructed to search the area at Sungai Pancau, the huge drain near the sluice gate at Pasar Besar Banting, Sungai Kanchong Laut, Kampung Endah and a river near an oil palm plantation at Jalan Kenangan, Kampung Kelanang.

He said that at about 3.35pm on Sept 12, 2010, his team was instructed to go to Sungai Pancau, where they found burnt marks and charcoal-like objects, as well as remnants of what looked like wires, on the river bank.

“During the search in the river, at a depth of two to three feet, using sievers to sieve mud from the river bed, we found fragments, believed to be burnt bones and pieces of metal which were burnt and rusty.

“We also found several wire containers and a plastic sack written with 50g tapioca flour as well as a few keys and a knife,” he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Saiful Edris Zainuddin.

NONE The 22nd prosecution witness was testifying in the trial of a former lawyer, N Pathmanabhan, and three farm workers, T Thilaiyagan, R Matan and R Khatavarayan for killing Sosilawati ( right ), 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati’s driver Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44, at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjong Sepat, Banting, between 8.30pm and 9.40pm on Aug 30, 2010.

Pathmanabhan, 42, Thilaiyagan, 20, Matan, 21, and Khatavarayan, 31, were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which was read together with Section 34 of the same act which provided the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

Two handphones found near sluice gate

Merzuki said that after completing the search at the river about 5.45pm, the team was then instructed to go to a location at a huge drain near the sluice gate at Pasar Besar Banting where he found a white Blackberry handphone.

He said he found the handphone at about 7.15pm and that his team mate also found a similar handphone, but a black one, at the site about three minutes later.

(The two handphones were identified by Ahmad Kamil's and Noorhisham’s respective wives as belonging to their husbands.)

Merzuki said the exhibits were found when they combed the area by using their hands.

“There was no need to use diving equipment because the water was not deep,” he added.

NONE He said that Sept 13, 2010, his team was instructed to conduct a search at  Sungai Kanchong Laut, Kampung Endah where they found a Seiko Honda Racing Team watch at about 5pm.

The team had to use diving equipment for this operation because the river water was about six-feet deep, he added.

He said the team was instructed to comb the same location again the following day (Sept 14, 2010) and that this time a metal detector was used to comb the river bed.

“At about 2.20pm (the same day), Muhamad Hazriman, who was in diving suit. found a Bell & Ross watch (which had been identified by Ahmad Kamil’s wife as that of her husband),” he added.

Merzuki said the team was then instructed to carry out search operations at a river near an oil palm plantation at Jalan Kenangan, Kampung Kelanang, where two members of the team found six zinc sheets with burnt marks on them.

The hearing before judge Akhtar Tahir continues in the afternoon.

- Bernama