KUALA LUMPUR: The seventh accused charged with murdering deputy public prosecutor (DPP), Datuk Anthony Kevin Morais told the High Court that Datuk Seri Najib Razak had offered him RM3.5 million to plead guilty.
S. Ravichandaran, 47, said the offer by former prime minister was delivered to him by a Prison Department officer in February this year.
He also claimed that Datuk Richard Morais, the elder brother of the murdered DPP, had offered him RM2 million to plead guilty to the murder.
However, counsel Datuk N. Sivananthan, who is counsel for the first accused, pathologist Colonel Dr R. Kunaseegaran, when cross-examining Ravichandaran, suggested that what the accused said were all lies to save him from the gallows.
Sivananthan: You had lodged a police report stating that Richard and Najib had offered you RM2 million and RM3.5 million, respectively, for you to plead guilty to the murder.
Ravichandaran: Yes.
Sivananthan: I put to you that it was just an allegation to make you look innocent.
Ravichandaran: I disagree.
Sivananthan: Most of your statements given in court are afterthought.
Ravichandaran: I disagree.
Ravichandran, S. Nimalan, 22; R. Dineshwaran, 23; A. K. Thinesh Kumar, 22; and M. Vishwanath, 25 are jointly charged with murdering Morais, 55, between 7am and 8pm on Sept 4, 2015, while the victim was on his way from Jalan Dutamas Raya Sentul to No. 1 Jalan USJ1/6D, Subang Jaya.
They face mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
Dr. Kunaseegaran, 54, is charged with abetting in the murder of Morais.
Deputy public prosecutor Saiful Edris Zainuddin is prosecuting while the accused are represented by counsel M. Manoharan, Rajehgopal and G. Sivakumar.
Morais’ body was found in a drum filled with concrete at Persiaran Subang Mewah, Subang Jaya, on Sept 16, 2015.
He was reported missing on Sept 4, 2015 and was last seen leaving his condominium in Menara Duta to drive to his office in Putrajaya in a Proton Perdana bearing registration number WA6264Q.
The trial continues on Friday before judge Datuk Azman Abdullah.