KOTA KINABALU: A contractor, who is jointly charged with his ex-wife for the murder of their maid three years ago , denied injuring the victim.
Mohd Ambree Yunos @ Unos,42, who gave evidence under oath as the first accused in the murder trial, disagreed to a suggestion that he "caused all the hurt and harm over a continuous period of time against the deceased resulting the deceased succumbing to her death."
Ambree was being cross examined by counsel Datuk Sri Rakhbir Singh, the defence counsel for his ex-wife, Etiqah Siti Nor Ashikeen Mohd Sulong.
Etiqah is a former MasterChef Malaysia 2012 finalist and the second accused in the trial.
Ambree and Etiqah were charged in the murdering their maid, Nur Afiyah Daeng Damin, 28, between Dec 8 and 11, 2021, at a condominium in Penampang.
The offence under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty or a prison sentence of up to 40 years, along with a minimum of 12 strokes of the cane, upon conviction.
To another question, Ambree agreed that he claimed in his cautioned statement about the existence of a Dyson vacuum cleaner metal rod used by his ex-wife to injure the
Rakhbir: Are you aware that throughout the prosecution case, there was no gold coloured vacuum rod produced by the prosecution. Do you agree?
Ambree: I can explain.
Rakhbir: Do you agree if the prosecution did not produce this vacuum rod in their case?
Ambree: This item was dumped in Yu Sang. During the investigation, Etiqah herself pointed to the place where she dumped it and there were other things also dumped there including steering lock, the vacuum rod, and a dismantled mop stick.
To another suggestion, Ambree also denied using the rod to hit the maid. He also denied disposing the item to avoid authorities trace back the evidence against him.
Ambree also denied the opposing counsel's question that this claimed attack using the metal rod was his sole allegation of physical abuse by Etiqah against their maid.
He rejected that his cautioned statement cleared Etiqah of having injured the maid on other parts of her body.
Nur Afiyah was also known as Piah, and was a MyKad holder.
The court heard that on the day of the discovery of Nur Afiyah's body, which was after Ambree returned from a three-day holiday trip to Kundasang with his family, he had poured Dettol and Clorox all over the bathroom walls as the stench of the dead body was unbearable.
Rakhbir: I put it to you that you took a deliberate step to immediately poured Clorox and Dettol all over the wall where the maid lay dead to remove traces of all your fingerprints on the bathroom wall. Agree?
Ambree: Disagree.
Rakhbir then queried on whether Ambree had had in the years leading up to the murder, repeatedly physically and emotionally assaulted his ex-wife to the point of her developing chronic depression and panic attacks.
The question was preceded by another query that three years after Ambree married Etiqah in 2017, she had to start seeing a specialist doctor and was prescribed with various drugs such as Xanax.
He disagreed to both queries.
Rakhbir: "I put it to you according to Etiqah, it had dawned on her now that you were slowly trying to kill her as well. Agree?
Ambree: "I do not agree."
Ambree was represented by Datuk Ram Singh. Deputy Public Prosecutor Dacia Jane Romanus prosecuted.
The hearing continues on Dec 11.