Malaysian cosmetics millionairess murdered
Police hunting for a missing Malaysian cosmetics millionairess believe she has been murdered, her body burned and ashes scattered in a river.
By Ian MacKinnon in Bangkok
Published: 6:56PM BST 12 Sep 2010
Published: 6:56PM BST 12 Sep 2010
Sosilawati Lawiya disappeared with her driver, lawyer and a banker
Sosilawati Lawiya, 47, was a recognisable figure in Malaysia and her disappearance has dominated the local press for since she vanished almost two weeks ago.
Ms Sosilawati, founder of the popular Malaysian cosmetics brand Nouvelle Visages, disappeared with her driver, lawyer and a banker.
Police discovered the remains of the four at a palm oil plantation in the central state of Selangor, after eight people arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murders – including a 38-year-old lawyer believed to be the mastermind – led officers to the scene.
Bakri Zinin, head of the police's criminal investigations department, said he believed business rivalry between the glamorous cosmetics tycoon and the lawyer was the motive behind the murders.
The eight suspects, two of them women, are also being investigated in the disappearances of four other people a year ago in suspiciously similar circumstances.
Malaysia has been enrapt since Ms Sosilawati disappeared on August 30 and the manhunt grew in intensity.
The discovery of her car outside a hotel in a Kuala Lumpur suburb last Monday fuelled an already feverish interest.
The suspects, who have not been named, pointed police to the four hectare palm oil plantation at Tajong Sepat, 30 miles south-east of Kuala Lumpur, where officers found the remains along with a knife.
The suspects admitted that they had taken their victims there, bludgeoned them to death, burned the bodies and then threw the ashes in a nearby river.
Officer Bakri declined to say if any bones were found, but said forensics tests were been conducted to establish the identities of the remains.
"I can say that Sosilawati Lawiya and three others are believed to have been murdered and their bodies burned with ashes strewn in a river near the coast of the south-western part of the state," he said.
"We will have to do a DNA analysis to fully determine the identity of the remains, but we are confident these are the remains of the four."
The eight could face the death penalty if convicted.
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