Anthony Kevin Morais

Kevin Anthony Morais was born to Francis Bede Morais and Lourdes Loius{{Cite web |last=IvyGram |date=23 September 2015 |title=A patriot felled. Memorial details for Kevin Morais. |url=https://x.com/ivyjosiah/status/646509621109100545 |access-date=1 July 2025 |website=Twitter}} on 22 March 1960 in Kuala Lumpur. He is the eldest of four brothers.{{cite news|url=https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/321240|title=Kevin Morais' youngest sibling attacks SD credibility|publisher=Malaysiakini|date=27 November 2015|accessdate=15 July 2020}}

Morais had been seconded from the Law Ministry to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission, which was looking into financial irregularities involving the troubled 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB), a state-backed investment fund and other issues.{{Cite web |last=Berthelsen |first=John |title=Slain Malaysian Prosecutor Tied to Najib Probe |url=https://www.asiasentinel.com/p/murdered-malaysia-prosecutor-anthony-kevin-morais-najib-graft |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=www.asiasentinel.com |language=en |archive-date=2024-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240205093343/https://www.asiasentinel.com/p/murdered-malaysia-prosecutor-anthony-kevin-morais-najib-graft |url-status=live }}

In 2015, reporter Clare Rewcastle Brown published anonymous emails to her blog, leaking the secret draft arrest warrant for Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak. This led to immediate backlash from Najib and all parties involved. Morais was the drafter of the arrest warrant.{{Cite web |last=Lin |first=Koh Jun |date=2015-11-25 |title='Kevin worked on PM and wife's case, initials on charge sheet' |url=https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/321055 |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Malaysiakini |archive-date=2024-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713142349/https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/321055 |url-status=live }} The 2023 Netflix documentary, Man on the Run, implies that due to this Najib and/or close authorities placed a bounty on Morais. Morais' brother has repeated these claims. S. Ravi Chandaran, one of the accused, claimed that Najib offered him RM3.5 million ($735,000 USD in 2024) to admit guilt to the crime.{{Cite web |last=Bernama |date=2018-10-02 |title=Kevin Morais murder: Accused tells of RM3.5 mil offer from Najib |url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/10/02/kevin-morais-murder-accused-tells-of-rm3-5-mil-offer-from-najib/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=Free Malaysia Today (FMT) |language=en-US |archive-date=2024-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713142351/https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2018/10/02/kevin-morais-murder-accused-tells-of-rm3-5-mil-offer-from-najib/ |url-status=live }}

Morais was last seen alive on 4 September 2015 leaving his Menara Duta condominium in Segambut, Kuala Lumpur for work at the Attorney-General's Chambers in Putrajaya. He drove a Proton Perdana with license plates WA6264Q. His youngest brother filed a missing person's report late next day. Earlier, a car matching the model he owned was found in a palm oil plantation in Perak. His body was found in a concrete filled drum at USJ 1, Subang Jaya, Selangor on 16 September 2015.

On 20 November 2017, six were accused of the murder of Morais after the courts found that the prosecution had proven a prima facie against them.{{Cite web|title=Six get death for murder of DPP|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/07/11/six-get-death-for-murder-of-dpp|access-date=2021-06-24|website=The Star|date=11 July 2020 |language=en|archive-date=2024-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713142349/https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2020/07/11/six-get-death-for-murder-of-dpp|url-status=live}} The six accused were former army pathologist Colonel Dr R. Kunaseegaran, 55; R. Dinishwaran, 26; A.K Thinesh Kumar, 25; M. Vishwanath, 28; S. Nimalan 25; and S. Ravi Chandran, 47.{{Cite web|last1=Khairulrijal|first1=Rahmat|last2=Karim|first2=Khairah N.|date=2020-07-10|title=Six sentenced to hang over Kevin Morais murder {{!}} New Straits Times|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2020/07/607462/six-sentenced-hang-over-kevin-morais-murder|access-date=2021-06-24|website=NST Online|language=en|archive-date=2024-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713142348/https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2020/07/607462/six-sentenced-hang-over-kevin-morais-murder|url-status=live}}

Initially, there were seven accused individuals in the trial; however, G. Gunasekaran was discharged and acquitted in 2016 after the prosecution had applied to withdraw the charge against him. The Sessions Court sentenced Gunasekaran to two years in jail effective from the date of his arrest on 15 September 2015, after he pleaded guilty to concealing Kevin Morais' body and disposing of the plate number of the deceased's car.{{Cite web|date=2020-07-10|title=Six sentenced to death for murder of Kevin Morais|url=http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/court-sentences-six-men-death-kevin-morais-murder|access-date=2021-06-24|website=The Edge Markets|archive-date=2024-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713142349/https://theedgemalaysia.com/article/court-sentences-six-men-death-kevin-morais-murder|url-status=live}} The prosecution set out to prove that the motive for the murder of Kevin Morais had been revenge as Morais had been the prosecuting officer in the corruption case against Kunaseegaran.{{Cite web|date=2020-07-10|title=Six sentenced to death for murder of Kevin Morais|url=http://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/court-sentences-six-men-death-kevin-morais-murder|access-date=2021-06-24|website=The Edge Markets|archive-date=2021-06-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629024806/https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/court-sentences-six-men-death-kevin-morais-murder|url-status=live}}

On 10 July 2020, after a lengthy 4-year court trial, the High Court found all six accused guilty of murder and sentenced them to death by hanging.{{Cite web|last1=Khairulrijal|first1=Rahmat|last2=Karim|first2=Khairah N.|date=2020-07-10|title=Six sentenced to hang over Kevin Morais murder {{!}} New Straits Times|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2020/07/607462/six-sentenced-hang-over-kevin-morais-murder|access-date=2021-06-24|website=NST Online|language=en|archive-date=2024-07-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713142348/https://www.nst.com.my/news/crime-courts/2020/07/607462/six-sentenced-hang-over-kevin-morais-murder|url-status=live}}

On 15 March 2024, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeals of the six men, and upheld their convictions and sentences.{{Cite web|date=15 March 2024|title=Malaysian court upholds conviction against former pathologist, 5 others over murder of prosecutor Kevin Morais|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-kevin-morais-deputy-public-prosecutor-murder-court-6-men-pathologist-cement-filled-barrel-4197346|website=CNA|access-date=13 July 2024|archive-date=13 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240713142349/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/malaysia-kevin-morais-deputy-public-prosecutor-murder-court-6-men-pathologist-cement-filled-barrel-4197346|url-status=live}}

On 1 July 2025, the Federal Court upheld the murder conviction of three accused, namely Kunaseegaran, Nimalan, and Ravi Chandran. Kunaseegaran's death sentence was maintained by the court as he had withdrawn his appeal during the mitigation stage, while Ravi Chandran was commuted to 35 years prison with 12 strokes of whipping and Ravi Chandran was commuted to 40 years imprisonment instead. The three other accused, namely Dinishwaran, Thinesh Kumar, and Vishwanath were acquitted and released by the Federal Court.{{Cite news |last=Hamdan |first=Nurbaiti |date=1 July 2025 |title=Kevin Morais murder: Federal Court upholds conviction of three men, including ex-pathologist |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/07/01/kevin-morais-murder-federal-court-upholds-conviction-of-three-men-including-ex-pathologist |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Star}}{{Cite news |date=1 July 2025 |title=Federal Court upholds death penalty for ex-army doctor, commutes sentences of two in Kevin Morais case |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2025/07/01/federal-court-upholds-death-penalty-for-ex-army-doctor-commutes-sentences-of-two-in-kevin-morais-case/182414 |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=Malay Mail |agency=BERNAMA}}

Between 24 to 26 September 2015, a three-day wake was held at the Nirvana Memorial Centre in Sungai Besi, Kuala Lumpur, although Morais's remains has yet to be reclaimed from Kuala Lumpur Hospital mortuary by his family.{{Cite news |date=24 September 2015 |title=Memorial service for murdered DPP held under tight security |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/memorial-murdered-dpp-held-under-051802750.html |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Malaysian Insider |via=Yahoo! News}} The memorial service was attended by his relatives and friends, including some 100 of his colleagues from Attorney General's Chambers and Mohamed Apandi Ali, the Attorney General of Malaysia.{{Cite news |last=Mustafa |first=Muzliza |date=25 September 2015 |title=A-G, colleagues pay last respects to Kevin Morais at Nirvana |url=https://theedgemalaysia.com/article/g-colleagues-pay-last-respects-kevin-morais-nirvana |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Edge Malaysia}}

On 26 September, a memorial mass was also held at the St Joseph’s Church in Sentul, which also saw the attendance of Batu MP, Tian Chua.{{Cite news |date=27 September 2015 |title=Friends, relatives of Kevin Morais attend memorial service |url=https://thesun.my/archive/1564173-YSARCH330626 |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Sun}}{{Cite news |date=28 September 2015 |title=Seven to be charged with Morais' murder today |url=https://theedgemalaysia.com/article/seven-be-charged-morais%E2%80%99-murder-today |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Edge Malaysia}}

On 3 October, a funeral mass was held at the Churh of the Devine Mercy in Shah Alam, even though his body has yet to be reclaimed by his family. The funeral mass was attended by hundreds of his family members, friends and colleagues from the Attorney-General's Chambers, the Malaysian Bar and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission.{{Cite news |date=3 October 2015 |title=Farewell Kevin, your work is done, says AGC colleague at funeral |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/hundreds-attend-kevin-morais-funeral-071656358.html |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Malaysian Insider |via=Yahoo! News}}{{Cite news |last=Joibi |first=Natasha |date=3 October 2015 |title=Hundreds attend funeral mass for Kevin Morais |url=https://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/10/03/Kevin-morais-funeral-mass |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151010175040/http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/10/03/Kevin-morais-funeral-mass/ |archive-date=10 October 2015 |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Star}}

On 23 November, Morais's family finally retrieved his remains from the hospital mortuary did not proceed with the initial demand to conduct a second autopsy.{{Cite news |last1=Mohd |first1=Hariz |last2=Shahrudin |first2=Hani Shamira |date=23 November 2015 |title=Family claim Kevin Morais' body |url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/2015/11/113440/family-claim-kevin-morais-body |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=New Straits Times}} His body was cremated on the same day.{{Cite news |date=27 February 2016 |title=Kevin Morais's ashes interred in Ipoh columbarium |url=https://sg.news.yahoo.com/kevin-morais-ashes-interred-ipoh-120852760.html |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=The Malaysian Insider |via=Yahoo! News}}{{Cite news |last=Syamil |date=16 March 2016 |title=Kevin Morais' Final Resting Place |url=https://www.ipohecho.com.my/2016/03/16/kevin-morais-final-resting-place/ |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=Ipoh Echo}}{{Cite news |date=28 February 2016 |title=Remains of Kevin Morais finally laid to rest in Ipoh |url=https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/02/28/remains-of-kevin-morais-finally-laid-to-rest-in-ipoh |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=Free Malaysia Today}}

On 27 February 2016, a memorial mass was held at the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes in Silibin, Ipoh, which saw around 300 people attended the mass. Morais's ashes was then interred at the columbarium of the Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ipoh Garden on the same day.{{Cite news |last=Kumaran |first=Loghun |date=28 February 2016 |title=DPP Morais laid to rest after five months |url=https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2016/02/28/dpp-morais-laid-to-rest-after-five-months/1069487 |access-date=1 July 2025 |work=Malay Mail}}

On 27 November 2015, in conjunction with the 59th birthday of the Sultan of Perak. Anthony Kevin Morais received the Darjah Datuk Paduka Mahkota Perak (DPMP), which carries the title "Dato’" from the 35th Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.{{cite news|title=Mendiang Kevin Morais dianugerah darjah Perak bergelar Datuk|publisher=Malaysiakini|date=27 November 2015|url=http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/321241|access-date=1 December 2015|archive-date=28 November 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151128023359/http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/321241|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=Kevin Morais conferred posthumous 'Datuk' title|author=Jaspar Singh|publisher=The Malay Mail|date=27 November 2015|url=http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/kevin-morais-conferred-posthumous-datuk-title|access-date=1 December 2015|archive-date=12 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151212045022/http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/kevin-morais-conferred-posthumous-datuk-title|url-status=live}}

In the Malaysian Anti Corruption Academy, there is a moot court named "Kevin Morais Moot Court" which was renamed after his death.{{cite news|title=SPRM abadikan nama Kevin Morais pada Moot Court MACA|publisher=Berita Harian|date=19 September 2015|url=http://www.bharian.com.my/node/83068|access-date=20 September 2015|archive-date=21 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150921052810/http://www.bharian.com.my/node/83068|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=MACC names moot court after Kevin Morais|work=The Star (Malaysia)|date=2 October 2015|url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/10/02/macc-names-moot-court-after-kevin-tears-flow-freely-in-tribute-for-murdered-dpp/|access-date=2 October 2015|archive-date=4 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004100148/http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/10/02/MACC-names-moot-court-after-Kevin-Tears-flow-freely-in-tribute-for-murdered-DPP/|url-status=live}}{{cite news|title=MACC renames moot court in honour of Kevin Morais|author=Rozanna Latiff|publisher=New Straits Times|date=19 September 2015|url=http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2015/10/02/macc-names-moot-court-after-kevin-tears-flow-freely-in-tribute-for-murdered-dpp/|access-date=2 October 2015|archive-date=4 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004100148/http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Nation/2015/10/02/MACC-names-moot-court-after-Kevin-Tears-flow-freely-in-tribute-for-murdered-DPP/|url-status=live}}

In 2020, Morais was named as one of the two recipients of the International Anti-Corruption Award 2020 at the Perdana International Anti-Corruption Champion Fund (PIACCF).{{Cite web|url=https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2020/02/564701/kevin-morais-named-recipient-international-anti-corruption-award-2020|title=Kevin Morais named as recipient of International Anti-Corruption Award 2020|last=Perimbanayagam|first=Kalbana|date=2020-02-11|website=NST Online|language=en|access-date=2020-02-12}}

• {{flag|Malaysia}}
• 50px Officer of the Order of the Defender of the Realm (KMN) (2009)
• 50px Commander of the Order of Meritorious Service (PJN) – Datuk (2017 – Posthumously)
• {{flag|Perak}}
• 50px Knight Commander of the Order of the Perak State Crown (DPMP) – Dato' (2015 – Posthumously)

• Death of Teoh Beng Hock
• 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal
• Murder of Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa
• Murder of Jalil Ibrahim
• Najib Razak controversies

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.bharian.com.my/node/82231/ Kronologi kehilangan Kevin Anthony Morais, Berita Harian ]
• [https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34266319/ Malaysia prosecutor Kevin Morais found dead in oil drum, BBC ]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morais, Anthony Kevin}}

Category:Officers of the Order of the Defender of the Realm

Category:Commanders of the Order of Meritorious Service

Category:People murdered in Malaysia

Category:Malaysian murder victims

Category:1960 births

Category:2015 deaths

Category:2015 murders in Malaysia

Category:Malaysian people of Indian descent