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3 held over Bahrain-born banker's murder

Manama, August 7, 2013

Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the recent murder of Bahrain-born banker Hussain Ahmed Najadi in Malaysia, a report said.

He was gunned down in a car park as he was leaving a Chinese temple in Kuala Lumpur on July 29, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

The banking giant suffered gunshot wounds in his ribs and chest, while his 49-year-old Malaysian wife Cheong Mei Kuen survived the shooting but suffered serious hand and thigh injuries.

Kuala Lumpur CID chief Datuk Ku Chin Wah yesterday confirmed two women and a man had been detained.

He said the 42-year-old man, who is believed to have been with the prime suspect in the case, turned himself in at the Kuala Lumpur Police headquarters on Monday.

"Police had raided his house in Selangor earlier but the man was not at home," he told local media, according to reports.

The CID chief said the women, aged 47 and 61, were trustees at a Chinese temple near where the top banker was shot.

"We were made to understand that Hussain was involved in negotiations at which he tried to save the temple land from being sold or the temple demolished," said Wah.

"However, that is only preliminary information. We will conduct further investigation to determine the motive for the murder."

The CID chief said Kuen had so far been unable to give the officers any information.

Police also appealed to the public to help trace Kong Swee Kwan, 44, also known by the nickname Sei Ngan Chai or Ah Chian, who is wanted for questioning.

A taxi driver earlier guided officers to a house in Brickfields where they recovered a Walther 9mm pistol from the letter box.

CONFIDENCE

Former Bahrain resident Najadi, 75, who had an Iranian citizenship and permanent Malaysian residency, was chairman and chief executive of multi-billion dollar corporation Arab Investments for Asia Kuwait Limited (AIAK) Group.

His only son Pascal Najadi, who is AIAK deputy chairman and deputy chief executive, said he had full confidence in the police investigation.

"There has been good progress and I am confident that the Malaysian police will solve the case soon," he told the GDN from Russian capital Moscow.

"The Malaysian authorities are also amending their gun possession laws after my father's murder and it is a good sign that shows their seriousness."

Pascal, who has dual Swiss and British citizenship, said he was ready to assist Malaysian authorities in their investigation but cannot return to the country due to fears about his safety and security.

The 45-year-old revealed he was not aware of any property deals involving his late father as his company does not deal with it.

"We have nothing to do with any property deal. But I would like to say here that my father's wife (Kuen) has interests in property business," he said.

Hussain was previously convicted of embezzlement, but acquitted of all charges by Bahrain's Supreme Civil Appeals Court. His company founded the Arab Malaysian Banking Group (AMBG) in 1975, which is now a $16 billion banking group in Asia. – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: Bahrain | malaysia | murder | banker | Najadi |

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