Court upholds death sentence on housewife, cousin for murder
Published on: Wednesday, October 01, 2014
PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court here Tuesday upheld the conviction and death sentence on a housewife and her cousin for the murder of her husband whose body was found buried in the backyard of the couple's house.A five-member panel led by Court of Appeal President Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif had unanimously dismissed the final appeals of Indian nationals Shamim Bano Mohammed Farooque, 46, and her cousin, Javeed Akhtar Abdul Waheed, 44.Justice Raus said the evidence against the two were overwhelming and the court found that their convictions were safe.
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"We are unanimous in our decision. There is no merit on the issues raised by the counsel on behalf of the appellants (Shamim Bano and Javeed Akhtar). We find no reason to disturb the finding of facts made by the High Court which was upheld by the Court of Appeal," he said.Presiding on the panel with Justice Raus were Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum and Federal Court judges Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali, Datuk Ramly Ali and Datuk Azahar Mohamed.On May 14, 2009, the High Court in Shah Alam sentenced the two to death after finding them guilty of killing Reyaz Ahamed Maruf, 39, a managing director of a plastic recycling company at the couple's house in Bandar Baru Bangi between 3am and 5am on Nov 8, 2008.Shamim Bano's two children had testified in court how they saw Javeed strangle their father while their mother stood beside the bed and held Reyaz's hands down.
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The two girls also testified that they saw Javeed and Shahmim dig a hole in the garden to bury their father.It was initially reported that Reyaz had taken curry for dinner which was believed to have been laced with sleeping pills before he was murdered.
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