Two accused in the murder case of deputy public prosecutor Anthony Kevin Morais pleaded not guilty at the High Court today on alternative charges of helping to hide the body and causing the death of Kevin.

Both accused, S Nimalan, 22, and A Thinesh Kumar, 22, made the plea after the alternative charges were read out separately before judge Azman Abdullah.

Both of them were initially charged with the murder of Kevin under Section 302 of the Penal Code which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.

When met by the media outside the court, deputy public prosecutor Abdul Razak Musa said the alternative charges were offered after studying the facts of the case and the roles of the two in the case.

Nimalan, a college student, was charged with helping to hide the body and destroying a vehicle with registration number WA6264Q with the intention of preventing six others from facing legal action.

He was alleged to have committed the offence from Jalan Dutamas 1 in Kuala Lumpur to an oil palm plantation in Kampong Sungai Samak, Hutan Melintang in Hilir Perak, between 7am on Sept 4, 2015 to 2am the following day.

The charge under Section 201 of the Penal Code provides a maximum jail term of seven years and fine if convicted.

Meanwhile, Thinesh, an unemployed, was charged with the six other individuals for causing the death of Kevin from Jalan Dutamas 1 to No 20, Desa Mentari, Petaling Jaya between 7am to 11.30am on Sept 4, 2015.

Thinesh who was charged with committing homicide not amounting to murder, could be sentenced under Section 304(a) of the Penal Code which carries a maximum imprisonment of 30 years and fine upon conviction.

Earlier, Abdul Razak announced that all documents relating to the case had been submitted to the defence. The court also maintained the trial date on April 6.

On Jan 27, seven men including a military doctor pleaded not guilty at the High Court to the charges of murder and abetting to murder Kevin whose body was found in a drum filled with concrete at Persiaran Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya, near here on Sept 16, 2015.

The seven men were G Gunasekaran, 47; R Dinishwaran, 23; Thinesh Kumar; M Vishwanath, 25; Nimalan; S Ravichandaran, 44; and Pathologist Colonel Dr K Kunaseegaran, 52.

Kevin was reported missing on Sept 4, 2015 and he was last seen leaving his apartment at Menara Duta here for Putrajaya in a Proton Perdana with registration number WA6264Q.

- Bernama