The second accused in the murder trial of deputy public prosecutor Anthony Kevin Morais, today engaged a new lawyer to replace counsel V Rajehgopal.

Counsel S Ramesh will represent unemployed G Gunasekaran, 48, in the trial which will continue for four days from Aug 15 before High Court Judge Azman Abdullah.

Deputy public prosecutor Abdul Razak Musa represented the prosecution at the mention of the case today before High Court deputy registrar Noor Aini Yusof.

On June 28, Rajehgopal applied to withdraw from representing Gunasekaran based on conflict of interest between him and the accused.

Gunasekaran and six men including a military doctor were charged on Jan 27 with murder and abetment in the murder of Kevin, whose body was found in a drum filled with concrete at Persiaran Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya near Kuala Lumpur, on Sept 16, 2015.

Gunasekaran, R Dinishwaran, 24, A Thinesh Kumar, 26, M Vishwanath, 26, S Nimalan, 23, and S Ravi Chandaran, 45, claimed trial to killing Kevin along Jalan Dutamas Raya Sentul towards No 1 Jalan USJ1/6D, Subang Jaya.

They allegedly committed the offence between 7am and 8pm on Sept 4, 2015, under Section 302 of the Penal Code.

Pathologist Dr K Kunaseegaran, 53, claimed trial to abetting the six men in Kevin’s murder at the same place, date and time, as charged under Section 109 of the Penal Code, read with Section 302 of the same Code.

- Bernama