Deaf-mute man must enter defence in quadruple murder case
Published on: Monday, September 02, 2024
By:
V Anbalagan, FMT
The Court of Appeal said Kang Chang Heng must enter his defence to charges of murdering an elderly couple and their two grandchildren, and voluntarily causing hurt to another on Dec 13, 2017. (Bernama pic)
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal today ordered a deaf-mute man to enter his defence to charges of murdering an elderly couple and two of their grandsons who were knifed to death at their home in Tanjong Sepat, Selangor, seven years ago.
A three-member bench, chaired by Justice Ruzima Ghazali, allowed the prosecution’s appeal, saying it had successfully established a prima facie case against Kang Chang Heng, 45, which he now has to answer.
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The evidence of the child witness has been corroborated, Ruzima said when announcing the unanimous decision of the court to allow the prosecution’s appeal.
Also on the panel hearing the appeal were Justices Azman Abdullah and Wong Kian Kheong.
Ruzima said the trial judge had erred when rejecting the child’s testimony on account of his tender years.
The child was able to positively identify the respondent (Kang) at the crime scene, he said.
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Ruzima said the prosecution’s evidence showed that Kang had led investigators to discover the murder weapon, which was produced in evidence.
Further, Chang is said to have sustained injuries at the crime scene and has to explain this matter, he said.
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Chang was ordered to be remanded pending the disposal of the case at the High Court in Shah Alam, where the matter has been fixed for case management on Sept 11.
A sign language interpreter was present in court to interpret the proceedings to Chang.
Deputy public prosecutor Dhiya Syawani Izyan Akhir appeared for the prosecution, while lawyer Lim Chin Huat and his daughters, Jye Kie and Jye Lie, represented Kang.
Kang, a furniture factory worker from Kepong, is said to have murdered Chia Tee Nang, 73, his wife, Lim Mai Shak, 68, and two of their grandsons, Ryan Chia, 10, and Chia Yuan Bin, three, at a house on Jalan Tepi Laut in Tanjung Sepat, Selangor, between 4am and 5am on Dec 13, 2017.
Kang was also charged with voluntarily causing hurt to another grandson of the couple. Andrew Chia, then 12, who survived the attack and testified in court.
Kang, who was arrested on Dec 15, 2017, was believed to have been in a relationship with the deceased couple’s youngest daughter, who is also a deaf-mute.
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