Ex-assemblyman begins jail term after losing appeal

(Bernama) - Former three-term state assemblyman M. Kuppusamy was sent to prison today to serve a 10-year jail term after he lost his appeal at the Court of Appeal to set aside his conviction and sentence for committing criminal breach of trust.

A three-member panel chaired by Justice Datuk Abdul Malik Ishak unanimously dismissed his appeal and upheld the decision of a Sessions Court which found him guilty of misappropriating RM66,647.44 and sentenced him to 10 years' jail.

On the panel presiding with Abdul Malik were Justices Datuk Azahar Mohamed and Datuk Hamid Sultan Abu Backer.

Abdul Malik ordered Kuppusamy, who was DAP assemblyman for Rasah in 1978 and 1982, and Jimah in 1986, to begin his jail sentence today.

Kuppusamy, 63, also a former lawyer, was found guilty and sentenced to jail by the Seremban Sessions Court on Jan 28, 2011, for misappropriating the money belonging to a client. He committed the offence at the CIMB Bank in Wisma Dewan Perniagaan Melayu, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan between Oct 29 and Dec 6, 2005.

Kuppusamy being led away after he lost his appeal in the High Court

According to the facts of the case, Kuppusamy was appointed by Zainal Abdul Majid, 64, to represent him in a claim against an insurance firm, Tahan Malaysia, following the death of his son in a road accident.

Zainal and Kuppusamy were then told to collect a cheque of RM66,647.44 from the firm's office in Shah Alam, but since Zainal did not have a bank account, Kuppusamy then had the amount remitted into his firm's account and gradually withdrew the sum without giving it to Zainal.

On Dec 23, 2011, the High Court in Seremban rejected Kuppusamy's appeal and upheld the decision of the sessions court.

In February last year, the Court of Appeal allowed his application to stay his jail term pending disposal of his appeal at the Court of Appeal. He was also allowed to be freed on bail of RM5,000 with one surety pending his appeal.

The Court of Appeal had issued a warrant of arrest against him on Tuesday (June 25) following his failure to attend court for his appeal for the fourth time.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Abazafree Mohd Abas informed the court that police arrested Kuppusamy at his house in Seremban at about 1.20am today. Kuppusamy, who was represented by lawyer G. Ganesan, was brought to the court in handcuffs.