‘My son was no criminal’

A distraught VP Rajah says despite two Indonesians being sent to the gallows for murdering his son, R Karthic, the authorities are portraying him as a burglar.

PETALING JAYA: Upset with media reports and authorities labelling his murdered son as a burglar, VP Rajah, has come forward to defend his son, R Karthic’s honour.

“I’m licensed money changer, own a plantation business and run a mini market. My son helps me in my trade and I pay him about RM10,000 in monthly salary and commissions.

“I’m also a former treasurer of the Negeri Sembilan PPP and Karthic was a youth member of the party. Tell me, is there any reason for my son to become a burglar?” asked Rajah, 51.

On Dec 3,2010, Karthic was found murdered at a shophouse in Taman Sri Sunga Pelek, Sepang. Eyewitnesses claimed he tried to enter a shoplot unit through an opening in the ceiling.

However, two Indonesian brothers guarding the shop were said to have spotted Karthic and killed him before fleeing the scene.

Frans Hiu and Dharry Frully Hiu were sentenced to death on Oct 19 by Shah Alam High Court judge, Nurchaya Arshad.

Relating his ordeal, Rajah said that Karthic went to the shop at about 9am on that day to collect RM5,000 he loaned to his friend, Leong Wai Yiaw, who was working at the shop.

“He was supposed to leave for India on that day but decided to get his money first,” said Rajah.

He added that Karthic and his girlfriend Juliet Rani Nadarajah were waiting downstairs of the shoplot before being dragged upstairs  by four men.

“The day market was operating then and many can vouch for this. Even my brother in law, R Murugan, was there shopping and saw Karthic being taken upstairs,” he said.

Rajah claimed that he received a frantic call from his wife at about 11am saying that Murugan had heard a commotion at the shoplot.

Rajah said that when he arrived at the scene, he was stopped by a police officer from entering the crime scene.

“The officer, named Corporal Asrul even refused to tell us what happened. Only after three hours, did he break the news to us.

“He even accused my son of breaking into the shop while the investigations were going on. He just dismissed me,” said Rajah.

Two still at large

Rajah accused investigating officer, ASP Zaiharul, and the deputy public prosecutor Yusof Rahman of working in cahoots with the shop operator to pin the blame on his son.

“But it was God’s grace that Justice Nurchaya sensed something was amiss and decided to visit to the crime scene,” said Rajah.

“She realised that my son could not have came down from the ceiling as the opening was too small. She also spotted many errors in the statements made by the police and the accused.”

Rajah added that Hindraf secretary-general P Uthayakumar also assisted him by holding a watching brief during the trial.

Raja’s brother in law, Murugan, said that two more people responsible for Karthic’s death are still at large.

“I saw my nephew being taken up by four men. I panicked when I heard Karthic screaming from upstairs and I rushed back to inform my sister,” said Murugan.

He also said that Juliet Rani had fled the scene by then, and later lodged a police report.

Murugan added that he was never called to give a statement by the police despite being a witness to the incident.

“I even went to Bukit Aman to inform them that I could help in their investigations but they ignored me,” said Murugan.

Rajah urged the public to read the case facts first before making a conclusion about Karthic. He  also said that his son was good man and is even a registered organ donor.

“My son’s heart was harvested and is to be given to a man with heart ailment on Nov 18,” he said.