The Court of Appeal ruled today that former Federal Court judge Gopal Sri Ram can appear in court to represent his client in a case brought by the Linggui Valley Orang Asli.
This is despite objections from the respondents that Gopal should not appear in the case because he was previously involved in two separate cases involving the Linggui Valley Orang Asli and their trust fund during his tenure as a judge.
“We find no merit and therefore dismiss this motion,” said Court of Appeal judge Idrus Harun in reading the court’s unanimous decision.
Other members of the panel are Zabariah Mohd Yusof and Hasnah Mohammed Hashim.
The case was brought by Saling Lau Bee Chiang and 76 other members of the Jakun tribe against lawyer Kanawagi Seperumaniam and his lawyer son Dinesh Kanavagi.
The Johor High Court had reportedly ordered on June 5, 2000, that the Linggui Valley Orang Asli were to be compensated RM38,554,111.92 after their land had been acquired for the construction of a dam.
Of the sum, RM22 million were to be held under the Lembah Linggui Trust Fund, while RM16,554,111.98 were to be handed to Kanawagi and Dinesh’s law firm to be paid to the Orang Asli after deduction of legal fees.
However, the Orang Asli later accused their lawyers of embezzling the RM16 million, which the lawyers denied.
They then filed a suit against the lawyers in 2009. On Dec 23 last year, High Court judge Samsudin Hassan found Kanawagi, Dinesh, and their law firm liable for misusing, mismanaging, and misappropriating money meant for the Orang Asli.
In addition, the high court judge ordered the 27 apartments allegedly bought with the trust money to be handed back to the trust fund.
Kanawagi, Dinesh, and the firm had since appealed against the ruling and appointed Gopal to represent them.- Mkini
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