PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal acquitted cabbie Chew Siang Chee of possessing a pistol and four live bullets linked to the 2013 murder of Arab Malaysian Bank founder Hussain Ahmad Najadi.
Chew's wife Ang Yah Ying, 38, covered her mouth and sobbed loudly in the public gallery as Chew stood calmly in the dock listening to the verdict today.
The three-man bench chaired by Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Md Raus Sharif ruled that the prosecution failed to prove the ingredient of the firearm and that the bullet-possession charge was not proven.
After proceedings, a stoic 48-year-old Chew, clad in dark-blue prison uniform, hugged Ang and other family members who were weeping loudly.
He was then led out of court by a prison officer to be brought to Kajang Prison, where he is expected to sign paperwork before being released today.
Chew's counsel Hisyam Teh Poh Teik was smiling outside court and said the bench agreed with their submission that the prosecution failed to prove the accused (Chew) had custody and control of the mail box where the firearm and bullets were found in 2013.
Deputy public prosecutor Wan Shaharuddin Wan Ladin appeared for the Public Prosecutor, who is the respondent in Chew's appeal.
Hussain, 75, was gunned down at the Kuan Yin Temple at Jalan Ceylon, Kuala Lumpur, between 1.30pm and 2pm on July 29, 2013.
Hussain's 52-year-old wife Cheong Mei Kuen, who was accompanying him at the time, was severely injured when she got caught in the crossfire.
A day after the sensational shooting, Chew was picked up at a coffee shop in Sri Petaling to assist investigations into the incident. He was later charged at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court on Aug 16, 2013.
On Feb 17, 2014, the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court convicted Chew of illegally possessing a 9mm Walther PPK/S with 9mm bullet magazine and four live 9mm bullets, at B-15-2, Desa Cindaimas Condominium, Jalan Sekutu, off Jalan Kuchai Lama, Brickfields, here at 5.45pm on Aug 3, 2013.
The lower court sentenced Chew to 14 years' jail and six rotan strokes. However later the High Court varied the jail term so that he need only serve 10 years instead.