Ex-constable: Subang Jaya OCPD hired lawyer for me

Former constable V Navindran, who has been convicted of causing hurt to A Kugan, told the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today that his superior officer appointed a lawyer for him and this lawyer told him to plead guilty to the charge.

Navindran, who named the lawyer as ‘Datuk Salehuddin', said the lawyer told him that he (Salehuddin) had been appointed by his boss that he should plead guilty to the charge in the sessions court in Petaling Jaya that day three years ago. 

The lawyer would then try to negotiate on the punishment.

The 32-year-old former constable, who now works as a salesman, said he and his family had not appointed any lawyer for the case when he was charged on Oct 1, 2009, and was surprised to see Salehuddin lead a team of lawyers to represent him.

The sessions court in Shah Alam on June 11 this year found Navindran guilty on two charges of causing hurt, resulting in Kugan's death at the Taipan police station in USJ-Subang Jaya on Jan 16, 2009. 

He was jailed for three years on each charge, with the sentences to run concurrently. However, Navindran was allowed a stay of sentence pending appeal.

Replying during cross-examination by Sivarasa Rasiah, who is appearing for Kugan's mother N Indra, Navindran said what he had testified earlier in the day about him being made a scapegoat and details about the lawyer appointed for him were new and not raised during his criminal trial.

"(Subang Jaya) OCPD Zainal Rashid Abu Bakar, wanted me to be the scapegoat and he promised that he will pay the fees for the lawyers. 

"Then, after some time, on Oct 1, I was told to appear in court and that was the time I met Salehuddin. I did not agree to plead guilty, and after that I appointed another lawyer to represent me," Navindran told the court.

Although Navindran did not give the full name of the lawyer at the hearing today, a search revealed that one Salehuddin Saidin appeared for the constable on the day he was charged.

[More to follow]