Pakistani charged with pastor's murder

14 June 2013

AMPANG: A Pakistani security guard was charged at the magistrate's court, here, with the murder of an American pastor last month.

The accused, identified by a single name of Shahbaz, and four others who are still at large, are alleged to have murdered David James Ginter, 62, at his home in Taman Sri Ukay between 5.30pm on May 3 and 10.45am on May 4.

Shahbaz and Ginter knew each other.

The accused said he understood the charge when it was read to him in English. No plea was taken.

Shahbaz was also charged with overstaying in Malaysia for 49 days, to which he pleaded guilty.

The accused pleaded for leniency but deputy public prosecutor Purnima Selvarajah asked the court to impose an appropriate sentence.

Magistrate Ayuni Izzaty Sulaiman sentenced him to three months' jail for overstaying and fixed July 18 for mention of the murder charge.

Ginter was found dead in the living room of his double-storey house in Taman Sri Ukay on May 4, with his hands and feet bound and a cable of a phone charger tied around his neck.

His dog had been locked in one of the rooms on the ground floor and it was not certain whether anything had been stolen.

A neighbour found the body after the victim's wife, Sheryl, who was then in Australia, asked her to check on her husband as he was not answering her calls.

A post-mortem revealed that he had bruises and scratches on his face, neck, body and legs, as well as several broken ribs.

His car was also reported missing.

Ginter had been attached to the Bridge International Church in Jalan Ampang for three years.