KUALA LUMPUR – An unemployed man who had allegedly been evading arrest for four years was brought before the Magistrate’s Court here on Thursday on a charge of murdering a businessman in Mont Kiara in 2022.
V.V. Vadivelu, 39, was charged with murdering 63-year-old businessman Goh Chok Chuan at a car park near the Amarin Kiara guardhouse in Mont Kiara at about 11.40pm on July 11, 2022.
The charge was framed under Section 302 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same Code. Upon conviction, the offence carries the death penalty or imprisonment for a minimum of 30 years and up to 40 years. If the court does not impose the death sentence, the offender is also liable to whipping of not less than 12 strokes.
No plea was recorded from the accused after the charge was read out before Magistrate M.S. Arunjothy, as murder cases fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court.
Deputy Public Prosecutor M. Alli Nangai informed the court that bail was not offered as the offence is non-bailable. He requested the court to fix a date to enable the prosecution to seek permission to transfer the case to the High Court for trial.
The court set June 8 for re-mention of the case.
According to earlier media reports dated July 12, 2022, police had stated that witnesses heard three gunshots before the victim was found lying near his vehicle at the car park.
It was reported that Goh had earlier been playing mahjong at a friend’s house in Amarin Kiara. He was believed to have been shot near his car, which was parked close to the guardhouse outside the residential compound.
Three other individuals were previously charged in connection with the same incident. They later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge under Section 304(b) of the Penal Code and have since been sentenced.
The case drew public attention in 2022 due to the brazenness of the shooting, which occurred in a residential area. The arrest and charging of the latest accused mark a significant development in the ongoing legal process.
As the matter now moves towards the High Court, the proceedings are expected to revisit the events surrounding the fatal shooting and determine the extent of involvement of the accused.
