The fourth accused in the murder trial of cosmetics millionaire Sosilawati Lawiya and three other individuals denied in the High Court in Shah Alam today that he was making arrangements with the police to obtain his freedom as a reward for being an informer.

R Kathavarayan, 32, denied this when lawyer Manjeet Singh Dillion, representing first accused N Pathmanabhan, told the court that he was informed by the fourth accused that he (Kathavarayan) would hold a feast in another two months and that he would be freed.

He also denied having said that to the lawyer.

Manjeet Singh: Yesterday, I was in the lift with you and two police escorts. You asked me why I did not buy you lunch and I told you that I would not buy you lunch.

Katavarayan: Yes.

Manjeet Singh: You said you would hold a feast in two months’ time and you invited me. Be honest. Did you say that?

Kathavarayan: Yes.

Manjeet Singh: I asked you where is the feast going to be? Are you going out? Did I ask you that?

Kathavarayan: Yes.

Manjeet Singh: You said in two months time you are going out.

Kathavarayan: No.

Manjeet Singh: Are you telling the court that I am lying? You said you are going to be back and have the feast in two months’ time.

Kathavarayan: I did not say that.

Manjeet Singh: I put it to you that is what you said. This is part of the arrangement for you as a police informer.

Kathavarayan: No.

Manjeet Singh: You said (yesterday) you are a police informer, helping the police to detain the others.

Kathavarayan: I only said I helped the police. I am not an informer.

Questioned by Manjeet Singh whether he was rewarded for helping the police, Kathavarayan said no.

Ordered to enter their defence

Kathavarayan, together with Pathmanabhan, 43, T Thilaiyalagan, 21, and R Matan, 22, have been ordered to enter their defence on a charge of murdering Sosilawati, 47, bank officer Noorhisham Mohamad, 38, lawyer Ahmad Kamil Abdul Karim, 32, and Sosilawati’s driver, Kamaruddin Shamsuddin, 44.

They are charged with committing the offence at Ladang Gadong, Lot 2001, Jalan Tanjong Layang, Tanjung Sepat, Banting between 8.30pm and 9.45pm on Aug 30, 2010.

The charge, under Section 302 of the Penal Code, carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

To another question from Manjeet Singh, Kathavarayan said there was no incidence of murder on Aug 30, 2010.

Manjeet Singh: So, the charge made against you and three others for the murders which happened on Aug 30, 2010, between 8.30pm and 9.45pm, is not true, right?

Kathavarayan: Yes.

The hearing before judge Akhtar Tahir continues on Jan 21.

- Bernama