Raja Nor Mahani wanted Hasleza dead, court told
KoolDude
TAIPING Feb 17 - A padi planter who pleaded guilty to culpable homicide not amounting to murder by causing the death of Hasleza Ishak, the second wife of the Raja Dihilir of Perak, told the High Court here Monday that it was the wish of his first wife to have her dead.
Mat Saad Mat Isa, who is serving a 14-year jail term at the Taiping Prison for the offence, said that he was informed by Abdul Rahim Ismail, a bomoh, who is being tried with abetting in the murder of Hasleza, that Raja Puan Muda Raja Nor Mahani Raja Shahar wanted her dead.
"Rahim told me that they've already invoked various means throughout Malaysia, up to Thailand and Indonesia to have Hasleza dead but she didn't die.
"I asked why was there a need to have Hasleza dead, Rahim stated that it was Tengku Mahani who wanted her dead. She was the one who wanted this done," he said.
Mat Saad was testifying against J.Manimaran, 26, a fisherman, and Sabaruddin Non, 33, a carpenter, charged with the murder of Hasleza at KM63, Jalan Sumpitan, in the district of Larut Matang and Selama between 6 pm and 11 pm on Oct 6, last year.
Rahim, 46, and Tengku Aristonsjah Tengku Mohamed Ansary, 40, an aide at Istana Raja Dihilir, are charged with abetment in the commission of the offence.
Hasleza's remains were recovered under a bridge in Lenggong five days later.
Rahim's defence counsel, Gurbachan Singh, raised objection to Mat Saad's evidence, saying that it was hearsay.
However, Justice Datuk Mohamed Noor Abdullah said that the court would for now accept Mat Saad's evidence but whether or not what he said was the truth had to be corroborated.
Mat Saad originally faced the murder charge but he pleaded to the alternative charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder by causing Hasleza's death preferred by the prosecution during the trial, on Jan 28.
Mat Saad said that Rahim offered him the task to kill Hasleza but he declined because he did not to get involved as he has nine children, six of them still schooling.
Rahim, he said, then told him not to worry as the royalty would protect him if he were to carry out the task.
He said that he had the conversation with Rahim, who lives in the same village as him, when he came to his house in September last year.
"After I've declined, about two or three days later a man by the name of Osman bin Teh came to my house telling me that Rahim wanted me to go to his house. I went over but cannot remember the date," he said.
Mat Saad said that on reaching Rahim's house, he produced two photographs of a woman he identified as Hasleza, two photographs of a car, two photographs of a house, a copy of a birth certificate, a wedding invitation card and one half of Raja Nor Mahani's photograph, from an envelope.
"Rahim held to me Raja Mahani's photograph in his left hand and the photograph of the other woman in his right hand. Rahim said to me this is Raja Mahani who instructed to kill this woman and this is the woman she wants killed," he said.
Mat Saad said that when showing him the photographs, it was as if Rahim was asking him to carry out the task but he was still reluctant to do it even after a great deal of persuasion by Rahim.
He said that one day after sending his child to school at Bagan Tiang, Tanjung Piandang, he was at a coffeeshop when he saw Rahim who called out to him.
Mat Saad said that he went over to Rahim and got into Rahim's car and was told by him that they were going to meet some royalty in Ipoh.
At the Jelapang toll plaza, he said, Rahim took the old road to Ipoh and on the way trailed a black car bearing registration number 100.
He said that Rahim contacted the driver of the black car to ask him where they were going.
"I saw the driver of the black car stopping and getting down many times to ask something as if asking for direction. Later, I saw the black car proceeding towards the direction of a place with a sign 'Pinji Perdana'," he said.
On reaching a residential area, he said, Rahim instructed him to observe the left side of the house where the driver of the black car had placed a package in front of the house on the right side.
This, he said, meant that the house on the left was the house of the woman whose photograph he had been shown by Rahim earlier.
Mat Saad said that he and Rahim then followed the black car which drove off from the residential area, headed for a restaurant where the driver of the black car introduced himself as Tengku Arif (Tengku Ariftonsjah).
Mat Saad said that when they were having drinks Tengku Ariftonsjah asked him whether Rahim had shown him any photographs at his house.
"I told him that he did. Tengku Arif then told me that that was Raja Mahani. She was the one who wanted the woman dead and whose house we went to see just now. I told him that it was not an easy thing to kill someone but Tengku Arif said that it should not be too difficult.
"After killing, dump it somewhere. I asked where. Tengku Arif said that on the Gerik side there are many isolated roads. I then kept quiet. Tengku Arif said this is Raja Mahani's private secretary," he said.
Mat Saad said that he decided to take on the task after Rahim threatened that he would cause trouble for his family if he declined.
Rahim, he said, told him that if he refused, he would not be responsible for his children's safety because he knew private matters involving the royalty.
He said that he held discussions with Sabaruddin and Manimaran, both of whom always visit his house, on the matter.
Mat Saad said that he told Sabaruddin and Manimaran that they would be protected by the royalty and they then decided to go and see Hasleza's house as Sabaruddin and Manimaran had not been there.
He said that at about 3 pm on Oct 6, he went with Sabaruddin and Manimaran to Taman Pinji Perdana in Sabaruddin's car and reached there at about 6 pm.
They saw Hasleza's car in the garage and they drove around the residential area to wait for her to come out, he said.
When they were driving back into the residential area, he said, they saw Hasleza's car at a junction.
"We were then entering while she was coming out. I heard Hasleza saying "stupid, don't you know how to drive". I then got out of the car and smashed the windscreen which broke," he said.
Mat Saad said that he and Manimaran then dragged Hasleza out of her car and into the car driven by Sabaruddin.
At that time, he said, Hasleza screamed and kept on shouting for help.
"When I pushed Hasleza, Hasleza said to me "previously, you got hold of me and confined me for nine days, now what's the matter." At that time I didn't understand what she meant by confining her for nine days," he said.
Mat Saad said that he then telephoned Rahim to tell him that he had got hold of Hasleza and Rahim told him to follow whatever instructions given to him by Tengku Ariftonsjah.
Mat Saad then asked Sabaruddin to drive to Jalan Sumpitan, an isolated road.
He said that initially it was difficult for them to find Jalan Sumpitan as they had a vague idea of the road and it was also 9 pm then.
They then discussed what to do with Hasleza but could not remember who suggested that they dump Hasleza by the roadside.
"I said that I dare not as she was still conscious. Finally, we decided that we render her unconscious first and then dump her," he said.
Mat Saad said that they brought Hasleza out of the car and he gave a chop to her neck with his left hand and she fell.
He said that suddenly two motorcycles passed by and Hasleza shouted for help but the motorcyclists did not hear her.
Mat Saad said that he noticed that Hasleza had fainted then and he, together with Sabaruddin and Manimaran, carried her into the car and they drove to a bridge.
He said that they took away her ring, bracelet and chain from her neck and took her out of the car.
"I held Hasleza by the shoulder, Manimaran held her torso and Sabaruddin held Hasleza's legs. Suddenly there was a sound of motorcycle. The three of us lifted Hasleza over the railings of the bridge and proceeded to push her under the bridge," he said.
Hearing continues Tuesday.