Duo to hang for killing actress

Oct 7, 2009
Duo to hang for killing actress
S'pore-born performer who was killed in 2001 knew one of her killers

KUALA LUMPUR - TWO Malaysian men were sentenced to death on Tuesday for killing Singapore-born actress Una Angelina Oliveiro in her home in 2001.

Mohd Fazli Ismail, 27, who is jobless, and make-up artist Esma Faizul Zainul Nor, 38, had pleaded not guilty to killing the woman. They were convicted of murdering the mother of three in her bungalow in Jalan Bukit Travers, Brickfields, on Nov 14, 2001.

Mohd Fazli and Esma remained calm after the judgment was read out. But Esma's relatives, who were in the courtroom, broke down and later hugged and kissed him.

The court papers stated that the 44-year-old actress had 12 stab wounds, six to her chest. Her Filipino maid found her body lying in a pool of blood in the dining hall.

The murder trial, which saw 20 prosecution witnesses, started on June 4 last year. Ms Oliveiro's children were not in court during the verdict. Her Danish husband, Mr Heiner Kirchhubel, 48, died last year.

Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamed Apandi Ali on Tuesday ruled that the duo's defence was merely to deny any involvement in the murder. But he noted they had gone to her bungalow that fateful day, and they knew her identity. It was also established that Ms Oliveiro and her maid knew Esma.

Read the full story in Wednesday's edition of The Straits Times.