2 loan sharks get death for murdering man for RM150 debt

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July 26, 2010 MYT 4:51:00 PM2 loan sharks get death for murdering man for RM150 debtBy K. KASTURI DEWIGEORGE TOWN: Two loan sharks, who murdered a businessman four years ago for a RM150 debt, were sent to the gallows by the High Court on Monday.Justice Abdul Halim Aman ticked off Tan Hoe Choon, 34, and Poh Weng Nam, 31, for taking a man’s life for a “mere” RM150 debt owed to them by the deceased’s brother.“You did not show any sympathy to the victim as though there is no law in your life. Other people seem to be of no value to you. What is important to you is money, money, money,” he said when ordering Tan and Poh to be sentenced to death.Tan is a businessman by profession while Poh is a DVD seller.The men were found guilty of murdering Lee Lai Beng, 44, at 10pm along Jalan Pantai Bersih in Butterworth on Sept 31, 2006.They were charged with committing the offence together with five others still at large.Both men, represented by S. Anthonysamy and V. Parthipan, had been ordered by the High Court to enter their defence on June 30.Deputy Public Prosecutors Azhar Mokhtar and Tan Guat Cheng appeared for the prosecution.A third accused Ho Han Choon, 30, who was jointly charged with Tan and Poh, had been acquitted and discharged after the court ruled that no common intention was proven that he was involved in the crime.Justice Abdul Halim said both Tan’s and Poh’s defence were bare denial and an afterthought.He said the testimony by four of the prosecution’s main witnesses, including Lee’s younger brother, was consistent with the prosecution’s case.“The testimony of the deceased’s brother was consistent and was not affected even though the defence put him through intensive cross-examination,” he said.Justice Abdul Halim also said both the accused had slashed and stabbed the deceased, almost severing the deceased’s younger brother’s left hand.“There is only one conclusion. Your act is by someone uncivilised. The deceased died at a young age and, because of this, a wife lost a husband, his children lost a father, his parents lost a son and his younger brother lost a brother.“The deceased had nothing to do with his brother’s debt but he was still murdered for reasons only known to both of you,” he said.