I cut victim only twice

I cut victim only twice

He is on trial for the May 2010 murder of Indian national Shanmuganathan Dillidurai, 41.

But Micheal Garing, 25, testified on Tuesday that he had attacked the victim with a parang because the latter was fighting with his fellow accused, Tony Imba, 34.

The court heard on Oct 9 that Mr Shanmuganathan's body was found with 20 wounds, of which four - including cuts to the neck and head - could have caused his death.

On Tuesday, Micheal insisted that he had cut the Indian national only twice - on his back and left arm.

He claimed he was walking away after the attack when Tony snatched the parang from him and headed towards the victim.

Cross-examined by the prosecutor, Micheal said he did not know why Tony had taken it or what he had done with it.

The two Sarawakians allegedly murdered Mr Shanmuganathan some time between 12.13am and 7.34am at an open field near Kallang Road on May 30 that year.

They are also accused of earlier robbing and assaulting three other men - Mr Ang Jun Heng, 22, Mr Sandeep Singh, 27, and Mr Egan Karuppaiah, 42.

An alleged accomplice, Hairee Landak, 23, was sentenced to 33 years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane in January after pleading guilty to three charges of armed robbery with hurt.

Another suspect, Donny Meluda, is still at large.

Questioned by his lawyer, Mr Ramesh Tiwary, Micheal said Tony had started the attack by kicking the victim off his bicycle.

When the victim tried to run away, Tony chased him and the fight started.

TO 'SCARE' HIM

Micheal said he took out his parang and swung it over the top of Mr Shanmuganathan's head to "scare" him, with no intention of hurting him. He did not think the weapon hit the victim as there "was no sound".

He then swung the parang two more times and cut Mr Shanmuganathan on his arm and back, he said.

As Mr Shanmuganathan sat down in pain, Micheal took the man's wallet from a waist pouch.

Micheal said he was walking away when Tony snatched the parang from him, surprising him.

Tony's lawyer, Mr B. J. Lean, questioned Micheal about a conversation he purportedly had with Tony in Changi Prison some time in September.

He said that when Tony asked Micheal why he had implicated him in the murder, Micheal replied that he thought his friend had "run away". Micheal denied this exchange.

If convicted of murder, they will be sentenced to death or life imprisonment


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