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KUCHING: A former car salesman has been sentenced to death for his role in the shooting and murder of senior civil lawyer Fabian Lim Ann Hoaw about four years ago although he did not pull the trigger.
The accused, Lim Kiang Chai, 38, was the rider of a motorcycle while the pillion rider, who is still at large, fired the shot at close range to kill Fabian.
High Court judge Clement Skinner said although Kiang Chai did not fire the shots that killed the lawyer, he was liable for the murder because of having a common intention.
He said the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt and the only verdict he could pass was the death sentence.
Kiang Chai smiled and showed no remorse as the sentence was read Friday.
He was charged, together with another person still at large for causing the death of Fabian on Feb 18, 2005 at about 6.15pm in front of Fu Xiang Food Centre, Rubber Road, Kuching which is punishable under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
It was revealed in earlier hearings that the autopsy report showed that Fabian was shot four times and died of gun shot wounds in the neck and chest.
He was leaving in a car after having a meal with his wife when the hit man walked up to his car and shot him.
Skinner had admitted the accused’s cautioned statement although the latter disputed it claiming that it was not given voluntarily, and that the police had made up stories in the statement.
The court was told that an unidentified “towkay” (trader), through another man, had offered RM65,000 to the accused to kill the lawyer.
In the statement, the accused admitted that after the murder was committed, he threw the pistol and his helmet into the river from Batu Kawa Bridge here.
A day after the crime, the accused was given RM64,950, of which he retained RM9,000.
