An investigating officer told the High Court hearing the case of the murders of cosmetic millionaire Sosilawati Lawiya and three others that he was ordered by a chemist to place the soil sample which was sent for analysis into a bottle.

ASP Mohd Ishak Yaakob, from the Dang Wangi district police headquarters, said the forensic police had packed the soil sample in six long tubes when it was sent to the Chemistry Department on Oct 10, 2010.

“I sent the soil sample to the director of the forensic division at the Chemistry Department, Lim Kong Boon (86th prosecution witness), but Lim refused to accept them.

“He also scolded me and told me to place the soil sample in a bottle,” he said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Ishak Mohd Yusoff.

Mohd Ishak, the 99th prosecution witness, was continuing his testimony in the trial of former lawyer N Pathmanabhan and three farm workers, T Thilaiyalagan, R Matan and R Khatavarayan, who are charged with murdering Sosilawati, 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati’s driver, Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.

Pathmanabhan, 42, Thilaiyalagan, 20, Matan, 21, and Kathavarayan, 31, are alleged to have committed the offence at Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat in Banting between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30, 2010.

They are charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

The soil sample is among the exhibits identified by Mohd Ishak during today’s proceeding.

Others included telecommunication documents and several police reports lodged by family members of the four allegedly murdered victims.

The hearing before judge Akhtar Tahir continues tomorrow.

- Bernama