An in-law of one of the victims in the murder of cosmetics millionaire Sosilawati Lawiya told the High Court in Shah Alam today that the victim had contacted him on the night he was alleged to have been murdered.

Felda Palm Industry assistant executive Jefri Hamdan said he was at home when CIMB Kampung Baru branch bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad contacted him through his mobile phone at 10pm on Aug 30, 2010.

He, however, only managed to say, “Hello... hello... hello Hisham....!” and there was no reply after that.

Jefri, who was the prosecution’s 45th witness, said when Noorhisham contacted him, he heard a sound like a breeze inside a moving car.

The witness is married to the younger sister of Noorhisham’s wife, Suzana Radin Pangat, 39.

Jefri said he met investigating officer ASP Ishak Mohd on Sept 12, 2010 at 3.10pm to give his statement and the victim’s particulars.

When asked by Deputy Public Prosecutor Saiful Ederis Zainuddin to relate what happened thereafter, Jefri said he did not contact Noorhisham again and since the latter did not contact him, he assumed the victim had nothing important to tell him.

Jefri, 40, also told the court that when he went to fetch his children at the victim’s house, the victim's wife told him that Noorhisham was not at home as he was working.

“Actually on Aug 31 last year, we had planned to break fast outside with our children together. But because of that, we had to cancel it,” he said.

Jefri was testifying in the trial of former lawyer N Pathmanabhan, 42, and his three farmhands, T   Thilaiyalagan, 20, R Matan, 21, and R Kathavarayan, 31, who are accused of murdering Sosilawati, 47, her driver, Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 47, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abd  Karim, 32, and Noorhisham, 38.

They allegedly committed the offence at Lot No 2001 Jalan Tanjung Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting, between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30, 2010.

Earlier, the prosecution’s 44th witness, Haizal Hambali, 35, told the court that he and two of friends made test-calls to four locations last March and July.

He said the last test-call was made after the Gadong Farm, Banting, at a brick wall near a wooden house in an open space, as though it was in a farm, which were all connected to the Batu Laut, Banting transmitting station.

The witness also told the court that he did a similar test-call in the murder case of the Mongolian woman Altantuya Sharibuu.

The trial continues tomorrow before Justice Akhtar Tahir.

- Bernama