Vietnam Daily News

Perth opal dealer faces Malaysia's gallows

Written by Dailynews.vn Friday, 03 February 2012 23:46

A 31-year-old Perth businessperson faces the death penalty in Malaysia over the murder of a Malay woman, 25, who was abducted and later killed while jogging with her younger sister six years ago.

Shahril Jaafar, who is a permanent resident in Australia and works for his father's meteorite and opal company, was arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport on January 17.

Yesterday he faced the Sungai Petani Magistrates Court unrepresented and was not required to enter a plea.

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Jaafar was charged under Section 302 of Malaysia's Penal Code, which means he could be hanged if found guilty.

He is accused of abducting snack food marketing executive Chee Gaik Yap, 25, who had been out jogging in the housing area of Kelab Cinta Sayang on the night of January 14 with her then 24-year-old sister when she disappeared.

The recent university graduate's body was found nine hours later in a "semi-nude state", with a 10cm wound to the top of her head and an almost severed neck, a local news agency reported.

It was believed she was tailed by her assailant, kidnapped and taken elsewhere to be raped and killed before her body was dumped near the housing estate, according to The Star online.

Following investigations, Jaafar was arrested and released on police bail, pending his DNA result. However, he fled the country to Australia where he managed to obtain permanent residency, according to New Straits Times.

News organisations reported that for six years, police kept an eye on all airports and entry points for the businessperson who had fled the country in the same year.

Clad in purple-coloured prison attire, Jaafar was calm when the charge was read to him before Magistrate Raja Shahril Anuar Raja Baniamin, The Star online said.

Jaafar was kept in custody until his next hearing date on March 11, when DNA and chemist reports were expected to be presented.

None of the family members of the victim and the accused were at the court. However, a man believed to be a family friend of the accused was seen talking with Jaafar at the court, the news site said.

The Star had previously written a feature article about Jaafar's family business since his father was considered a prestigious man, marked by the title "Datuk".

Jamaludin Jaafar frequently jetted between his two homes in Canning Vale, Perth, and Sungai Petani, Kedah, in Malaysia, to run his business that mainly features jewellery made out of opals, meteorites and rare gemstones.

It is a family business that includes his wife Datin Norbariah Ibrahim and their four children, Rosmina, Zamani, Shahril, and Amirah.

The family moved to Perth in 1994 when Jaafar senior decided to venture abroad and met a group of people who collected fossils, meteorites, and rare gemstones.

"We turn them into affordable consumer products like jewellery, apparel, car accessories, keris and souvenir," Jaafar told The Star.

Their jewellery is reported to be designed exclusively in Hong Kong and Bangkok.

The Jaafar family have so far been unable to be contacted by WAtoday.com.au.

http://www.smh.com.au/wa-news/perth-opal-dealer-faces-malaysias-gallows-20120202-1quiy.html

Source: www.intellasia.net/news/articles/society/111355244.shtml