Court upholds couples death sentence over suitcase murder case

Appellate court says circumstantial evidence proves beyond reasonable doubt that the couple was involved in the murder.

A three-member bench, chaired by Justice Wong Kian Kheong, heard submissions from the lawyers representing Seow Pei Chie and her husband Cheung Chai Ming, both 44, as well as the prosecution.

Delivering the decision, Justice Evrol Mariette Peters said the bench was satisfied that the death penalty imposed by the High Court in 2023 was the only sentence that reflected the gravity of the crime.

“The conviction and sentence imposed are affirmed, and the couple’s appeal is dismissed,” said Peters.

The other judge on the bench was Justice Alwi Abdul Wahab.

Seow and Cheung committed the offence against Heng Heow Lin between Oct 4, 2020, at about 10pm, and Oct 6, 2020, at about 6am at a house on Jalan Tong Sang in Sibu.

Peters said circumstantial evidence revealed beyond a reasonable doubt that the couple was involved in the murder.

She said a prosecution witness testified that the couple regularly collected the deceased’s prostitution earnings and beat her until she bled whenever the amount was insufficient to repay her late husband’s debt.

She said the deceased’s daughter also testified that both appellants frequently scolded and beat her and her mother, and that she was taken to Kuala Lumpur, where she was abused and threatened with organ trafficking.

Peters said the victim was last seen alive with the couple before her body was discovered on Oct 6, 2020.

She said the death penalty imposed on the appellants was justified primarily as retribution, reflecting that the punishment must be proportionate to the gravity of the offence.

“The High Court emphasised that the victim was subjected to prolonged inhuman suffering, years of torture and finally her violent death,” she said.

She said the sentence also served a powerful denunciatory function, expressing society’s collective condemnation of such depravity.

“By imposing the death penalty, the state signals its abhorrence of crimes involving exploitation, abuse, and murder, thereby affirming the fundamental values of a civilised society and the rule of law,” she said.

Peters said the High Court had pointed out the duty of the court to society in exercising its sentencing discretion, indicating that a lesser sentence would inadequately reflect the premeditated and cold-blooded nature of the killing.

“The callous disposal of the victim’s body further evidences the danger the appellants pose, justifying their permanent removal from society,” she said.

Peters said the death penalty also provided a measure of closure and justice for the surviving victim, the deceased’s daughter, who endured years of abuse and the trauma of violently losing her mother.

Lawyer Yap Hoi Liong represented Seow, while Timothy Finlayson Joel and Wilson Law represented Cheung. Prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Ng Siew Wee.