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Malayan Law Journal Reports/2014/Volume 2/M Rathakrishnan a/l Muthu v Publi Proseutor ! "2014# 2 MLJ
$%& ! 1' June 201$
( pages
"2014# 2 MLJ $%&
M Rathakrishnan a/l Muthu v Public Prosecutor
COURT OF APPEAL (PUTRAJAYA
L!"TO" AL#ERT$ MO%TARU&!" #A'! A"& (A)A)! *ALLE% JJCA
CR!M!"AL APPEAL "O A+,-+./+,. OF /,./
.0 June /,.1
Criminal Procedure -- Trial -- Close of prosecution case -- Whether trial judge wrong to have considered
accused's probable defence in deciding if prima facie case made out -- Whether judge duty-bound to
evaluate and scrutinise evidence objectively from all angles -- Whether circumstantial evidence pointed
solely to accused as murderer
)he appellant was sentene* to *eath by the +igh ,ourt -or mur*ering his wi-e ./the *eease*/01 )he mur*er
took plae at the house o- the *eease*/s younger brother ./2P11/01 2P11/s neighbour3 2P'3 saw the
appellant sreaming an* running away -rom 2P11/s house an* -inally sitting on the main roa* not -ar away1
4hen 2P' en5uire*3 the appellant tol* him three men ha* broken into the house an* attempte* to ra2e the
*eease* but sine he oul* not overpower them he ran out o- the house to seek help1 4hen 2P' went into
the house to hek he oul* not -in* any intru*ers but -oun* the *eease* lying in a pool o- bloo* in one o-
the rooms1 6n autopsy showe* she ha* *ie* o- stab woun*s to the nek1 )he sole issue raise* by the
appellant in his instant appeal against onvition an* sentene was that the trial 7u*ge erre* in onsi*ering
the possibility o- the *e-ene/s ase at the lose o- the proseution/s ase when he shoul* have on-ine* his
evaluation to only the proseution/s evi*ene1 6s suh3 he sai*3 the -in*ing o- a prima -aie ase against him
was perverse1
%el3$ *ismissing the appeal8
1) )he trial 7u*ge *irete* himsel- orretly in law when he onsi*ere* the appellant/s probable
*e-ene in *ei*ing whether the proseution ha* ma*e out a prima -aie ase1 )he
irumstantial evi*ene pointe* towar*s the appellant/s guilt1 6t the onlusion o- the
proseution/s ase3 the e9istene o- the three /intru*ers/ remaine* a remote possibility that
oul* not reate a gap in the proseution/s ase .see paras 20!2101
1) :n onsi*ering the appellant/s probable *e-ene3 the trial 7u*ge -oun* there was no sign the
house ha* been broken into or that it ha* been ransake*1 )he appellant was last seen with
the *eease*3 her ;<6 pro-ile was -oun* on him3 2P' an* 2P10 who went into the house to
hek *i* not see anyone esaping -rom the house an* all available evi*ene onnete* the
appellant to the rime .see para 1=01
1 2 M! "#$ at "#%
1) )he ma9imum evaluation priniple at the lose o- the proseution ase impose* upon the trial
7u*ge the *uty to srutinise an* evaluate the evi*ene ob7etively an* -rom all angles1 )he
evi*ene o- the proseution/s witnesses oul* not be aepte* at -ae value but ha* to be
srutinise* properly an* not per-untionary or ursorily an* when a set o- -ats was apable o-
giving rise to two or more in-erenes3 the in-erene most -avourable to the ause* ought to be
*rawn1 :t was inumbent upon the trial 7u*ge to onsi*er any evi*ene -airly open to the
ause* -or an a5uittal suh as the probable *e-ene that oul* be eliite* -rom the
proseution/s witnesses .see para 1'01
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1) )he appellant/s evi*ene3 when ritially teste* against the prove* -ats o- the ase3 *i* not
inspire on-i*ene an* -aile* to ast any reasonable *oubt on the proseution/s ase1 )he
*amning evi*ene o- 2P4 .the me*ial o--ier0 that the appellant a*mitte* to him that the
srath marks on his bo*y were ause* by the *eease* was not hallenge* nor *i* the
appellant e9plain how he got them1 )he only reasonable in-erene was that he must have
sustaine* the in7uries in a struggle with the *eease*1 )he appellant/s unreasonable behaviour
o- staying behin* whilst the other neighbours went into the house to hek also greatly a--ete*
the probability o- his version o- the ase .see paras 2$!2%01
1) ,onsi*ering an* weighing all the evi*ene3 the ourt was satis-ie* the hain o- irumstantial
evi*ene was omplete an* *i* not leave any reasonable groun* -or a onlusion that was
onsistent with the appellant/s innoene1 )he hain o- irumstanes was suh as to show that
in all probability the mur*er was ommitte* by the appellant an* by no one else .see para 2'01
Perayu telah *i7atuhkan hukuman mati oleh Mahkamah )inggi kerana membunuh isterinya ./si mati/01
Pembunuhan itu berlaku *i rumah a*ik lelaki si mati ./2P11/01 Jiran 2P113 2P'3 melihat perayu men7erit *an
melarikan *iri *ari rumah 2P11 *an akhirnya *u*uk *i 7alan utama ti*ak 7auh *aripa*a situ1 6pabila 2P'
bertanya3 perayu memberitahunya tiga lelaki telah peah masuk ke *alam rumah *an uba merogol si mati
tetapi kerana *ia ti*ak *apat melawan mereka *ia berlari keluar *ari rumah untuk men*apatkan bantuan1
6pabila 2P' masuk ke *alam rumah untuk memeriksa ke7a*ian *ia ti*ak *apat menari peneroboh!
peneroboh itu tetapi men*apati si mati terbaring *alam kolam *arah *i *alam salah satu bilik1 >e*ah siasat
menun7ukkan *ia telah meninggal *unia akibat kesan tikaman ke leher1 2atu!satunya isu yang *ibangkitkan
oleh perayu *alam rayuan ini terha*ap sabitan *an hukuman a*alah bahawa hakim perbiaraan terkhila-
*alam mempertimbangkan kemungkinan kes pembelaan *i penutup kes pen*akwaan *i mana beliau
sepatutnya mengeha*kan penilaiannya hanya kepa*a bukti!bukti
2 M! "#$ at "#&
pen*akwaan1 ?leh itu3 *ia mengatakan3 penemuan kes prima -aie terha*apnya a*alah bertentangan1
&i2utuskan3 menolak rayuan8
2) +akim perbiaraan mengarahkan *irinya sen*iri *engan betul *ari segi un*ang!un*ang apabila
beliau mempertimbangkan pembelaan perayu yang mungkin *alam memutuskan sama a*a
pihak pen*akwaan telah membuat kes prima -aie1 >ukti mengikut kea*aan menun7uk ke arah
kesalahan perayu1 Pa*a akhir kes pen*akwaan3 kewu7u*an ketiga!tiga /peneroboh/ kekal
sebagai kemungkinan terpenil yang ti*ak *apat menimbulkan 7urang *alam kes pen*akwaan
.lihat perenggan 20!2101
2) ;alam mempertimbangkan pembelaan perayu yang mungkin3 hakim men*apati ti*ak a*a
tan*a rumah telah *ipeah masuk atau ia telah *igele*ah1 Perayu a*alah orang terakhir *ilihat
bersama si mati3 pro-il ;<6 si mati telah *i*apati pa*anya3 2P' *an 2P10 yang masuk ke
*alam rumah untuk memeriksa ti*ak melihat sesiapa melarikan *iri *ari rumah *an semua bukti
yang a*a mengaitkan perayu kepa*a 7enayah itu .lihat perenggan 1=01
2) Prinsip penilaian maksimum pa*a penutup kes pen*akwaan mengenakan kewa7ipan untuk
meneliti *an menilai bukti seara ob7ekti- *an *ari semua su*ut ke atas hakim perbiaraan1
@eterangan saksi!saksi pen*akwaan ti*ak *apat *iterima pa*a *asarnya tetapi terpaksa *iteliti
*engan betul *an bukan tanpa bersungguh!sungguh atau sepintas lalu saha7a *an apabila satu
set -akta mampu menimbulkan *ua atau lebih kesimpulan itu3 kesimpulan yang paling baik
kepa*a tertu*uh sepatutnya *iambil1 :a a*alah penting bagi hakim untuk mempertimbangkan
apa!apa keterangan yang agak terbuka kepa*a tertu*uh untuk pembebasan seperti pembelaan
yang mungkin yang boleh *iperoleh *aripa*a saksi!saksi pen*akwaan .lihat perenggan 1'01
2) @eterangan perayu3 apabila *iu7i seara kritikal terha*ap -akta!-akta yang membuktikan kes itu3
ti*ak memberi keyakinan *an gagal menimbulkan apa!apa keraguan munasabah terha*ap kes
pen*akwaan1 >ukti memberatkan *aripa*a 2P4 .pegawai perubatan0 bahawa perayu mengaku
kepa*anya yang tan*a alar pa*a ba*annya a*alah *isebabkan oleh si mati ti*ak *isangkal
7uga perayu ti*ak men7elaskan bagaimana *ia men*apatnya1 2atu!satunya kesimpulan yang
Page 4
munasabah a*alah bahawa *ia mengalami kee*eraan itu semasa bergelut *engan si mati1
)ingkah laku yang ti*ak munasabah perayu yang tinggal *i belakang manakala 7iran yang lain
masuk ke *alam rumah untuk memeriksa 7uga banyak memberi kesan kepa*a kebarangkalian
versinya mengenai kes .lihat perenggan 2$!2%01
2) 2etelah mengambil kira *an menimbang semua keterangan3 mahkamah
2 M! "#$ at "#'
itu berpuas hati rantaian keterangan mengikut kea*aan a*alah lengkap *an ti*ak
meninggalkan apa!apa alasan munasabah untuk kesimpulan yang konsisten *engan
keti*akbersalahan perayu1 Rantaian kea*aan itu seperti menun7ukkan bahawa *alam semua
kebarangkalian pembunuhan itu *ilakukan oleh perayu *an tia*a sesiapa yang lain .lihat
perenggan 2'01
"otes
Aor ases on lose o- proseution ase3 see %.20 Mallal's (igest .4th B*3 2012 Reissue0 paras %22'!%2('1
Cases re4erre3 to
Chan Chor )huh v PP "200$# 2 MLJ 2&C "200$# 1 ,LJ %013 ,6 .re-*0
*enneth +oo, Mun ee v PP "200'# 2 MLJ 1$03 A, .re-*0
Wong )wee Chin v PP "1(=1# 1 MLJ 2123 A, .re-*0
Le5islation re4erre3 to
Penal ,o*e s $02
A22eal 4ro68 ,riminal )rial <o 4%>!04 o- 200( .+igh ,ourt3 )aiping0
)ingaravadivel a-l . )ingaram /0ari *rishnan with him1 /iew2 !ulia Tun 3 0ari1 for the appellant4
5hmed bin 6ache /(eputy Public Prosecutor2 5ttorney 7eneral's Chambers1 for the respondent4
(a7a7i *alleh JCA (3eliverin5 8u356ent o4 the court9
T%E A"TECE&E"T*
:.; )his is an appeal against the 7u*gment o- the +igh ,ourt3 )aiping3 onviting the appellant -or one ount
o- mur*er3 -or whih he was sentene* to the man*atory *eath penalty as presribe* un*er s $02 o- the
Penal ,o*e1
:/; 4e have hear* learne* ounsel -or the appellant an* learne* *eputy publi proseutor1 4e have
srutinise* the entire evi*ene a**ue* be-ore the +igh ,ourt1 4e have -oun* no merits in the appeal1
6or*ingly3 we unanimously *ismisse* the appeal an* a--irme* the onvition an* sentene passe* by the
+igh ,ourt1
T%E C%AR<E
:1; )he harge against the appellant rea*s as -ollows8
2 M! "#$ at "$8
>ahawa kamu pa*a 1$ Jun 200( 7am lebih kurang (100 malam *i rumah <o 2=3 Jalan '3 )aman @amunting Ma7u3
@amunting3 *i *alam ;aerah Larut Matang3 *i *alam <egeri Perak3 telah melakukan satu pembunuhan yang
menyebabkan kematian ke atas @annamah a/p Munisamy .@P8 '40'0$!10!%'=&01 ;engan itu kamu telah melakukan
satu kesalahan yang boleh *ihukum *i bawah seksyen yang sama1
T%E FACT* OF T%E CA*E
Page %
:=; )he ase o- the proseution reveals that the mur*er took plae at Vasu ;evan/s .2P110 house3 who is the
younger brother o- the *eease*1 ?n 1$ June 200(3 at about (11%pm3 <arayanan a/l @annan ./2P'/03 a
neighbour o- 2P113 hear* someone sreaming -or help1 +e looke* out -rom his house an* saw the appellant
running towar*s the main roa* while sreaming3 be-ore -inally sitting on the roa*1 2P' went to the appellant
an* in5uire* as to the reasons o- his shouting3 in whih the appellant answere*8 /penuri telah masuk ke
rumahnya/1
:-; >oth 2P' an* Vasu*evan a/l Munisamy ./2P10/0 assiste* the appellant1 2P10 went to the bak o- house
to stan* guar* as a preautionary measure preventing the thie- -rom esaping3 while 2P' went insi*e the
house through the bak *oor whih he -oun* to be opene*1 )he appellant remaine* at the same spot1
:>; 2P' saw a *rop o- bloo* outsi*e the thir* room1 +e entere* the room an* saw the *eease* lying on the
-loor .-ae *own0 in a pool o- bloo*1 2P' then ame out o- the house an* tol* his wi-e to over the
*eease*/s bo*y with a piee o- loth3 in whih she *i*1
:0; )hroughout the entire or*eal3 the appellant hel* himsel- somewhat aloo- -rom the rest1 2P' *elivere* the
news to the appellant1 >oth 2P' an* 2P113 together with the appellant3 returne* to the house1 2P' aske* the
appellant what e9atly happene* an* the appellant in-orme* him that three men ame into the house
attempting to ra2e his wi-e1
:?; 2P' then reporte* the matter to the authorities1
:@; )he autopsy o- the *eease*/s bo*y was on*ute* by ;r Mohamma* 2ha-ie bin ?thman .2P=01 )he
*otor onlu*e* that the *eease*/s ause o- *eath is /stab woun*s to the nek/1
T%E &EFE"CEA* CA*E
:.,; )he gist o- the appellant/s *e-ene is that on 1$ June 200(3 a-ter work3 he went to 2P11/s house to -eth
his wi-e ./the *eease*/0 home1 )he ouple was
2 M! "#$ at "$9
hatting in the house an* three :n*ian men ame looking -or 2P111 )hey entere* into the house through the
bak *oor1 )he *eease* in-orme* them that her brother ha* gone to :poh to atten* a we**ing1
:..; ?ne man then slappe* the *eease* an* ause* her -or lying1 )he appellant then aske* the man why
he assaults the *eease*1 )he man then pushe* the appellant to the -loor1 )he ouple shoute* -or help1
6nother man srathe* the appellant using a kni-e an* warne* him not to inter-ere1
:./; )he appellant then ran out o- the house to seek help -rom his neighbours1 2P' an* 2P10 ame to his
ai*1 2P' entere* the house an* 2P10 was waiting outsi*e the house1 2P' later ame out an* aske* his wi-e
to enter1
:.1; 2P'/s wi-e then ame out o- the house rying an* tol* 2P' that the *eease* ha* passe* away1 )he
appellant then went insi*e the house an* hel* the *eease* while rying1 2P' also went insi*e the house
with the appellant an* he tol* 2P' that three men broke into the house an* trie* to ra2e the *eease*1
T%E APPELLA"TA* APPEAL
:.=; >e-ore this ourt3 the appellant only raise* a lone issue to hallenge the impugne* *eision1 )he single
issue rea*s as -ollows8
4hether the learne* trial 7u*ge mis*irete* himsel- when his Lor*ship took into onsi*eration irrelevant -ators when
*ei*ing that the proseution ha* ma*e out a prima -aie ase1
:.-; Learne* ounsel -or the appellant omplaine* that the learne* trial 7u*ge mis*irete* himsel- when +is
Lor*ship onsi*ere* the possibility o- the appellant/s *e-ene at the onlusion o- the proseution/s ase1 +e
onten*e* that the evaluation o- evi*ene at that stage shoul* only be on-ine* to the proseution witnesses
only1
:.>; >e-ore we embark into the merits o- ounsel/s argument3 the relevant portion o- the learne* trial 7u*ge/s
7u*gment is repro*ue* as -ollows8
Page &
&121%1 +aving onsi*ere* the evi*ene a**ue* by the proseution3 : am satis-ie* that the irumstantial evi*ene
a**ue* is over whelming in that all this evi*ene *rives the ,ourt to the irresistible onlusion that it was the ause*
who ha* stabbe* the nek o- the *eease* on the night in 5uestion base* on the -ollowing groun*s8
1i) )he ause* was last seen with the *eease* shortly be-ore the ini*ent ie about (pm on 1$ June
200(1
1 2 M! "#$ at "$2
1ii) )he allegation by the ause* that thieves ha* entere* the house or $ male persons trying to ra2e the
wi-e is highly unbelievable -or the -ollowing reasons8
1. )here was no sign o- the house being broken intoC
1. 6ll the things in the house were intat inlu*ing some 7ewelleries reovere* -rom the houseC
1. )he bak gate o- the house was loke* an* it was *i--iult -or the intru*ers3 i- any3 to have
7umpe* over the gate within a short span o- timeC
1. )he *og reare* by 2P10 was in the house an* no one ha* hear* the *og/s barking on the
night in 5uestion1
1
1iii) 1111
1iv) )he ause* also -aile* to omplain to the arresting o--ier that the *eease* was stabbe* by the
three intru*ers when he was arreste* in the house on the night in 5uestion1
1v) )he on*ut o- the ause* -or not -ollowing 2P' into house to -in* out what happene* to the wi-e
was highly suspiious o- his *e-ene that there were thieves in the house trying to ra2e the wi-e1
.2ee pp 2(!$13 6ppeal Reor*3 Vol 110
:.0; 4ith respet3 the omplaint by learne* ounsel is plainly misoneive*1 :t is trite that the ma9imum
evaluation priniple imposes upon the trial 7u*ge3 at the lose o- the ase -or the proseution3 the *uty to
srutiniDe an* evaluate the evi*ene ob7etively an* -rom all angles1 )he evi*ene o- proseution witnesses
must not be aepte* at -ae value but it has to be srutiniDe* properly an* not per-untionary3 ursorily or
super-iiallyC an* when a set o- -ats is apable to give rise to two or more in-erenes3 the in-erene most
-avarouble to the ause* ought to be *rawn1 :t is also inumbent -or trial 7u*ge to onsi*er any evi*ene
whih -airly open to the ause* being a5uitte* suh as the probable *e-ene that oul* be eliite* -rom the
proseution witnesses .see Chan Chor )huh v Public Prosecutor "200$# 2 MLJ 2&C "200$# 1 ,LJ %013
*enneth +oo, Mun ee v Public Prosecutor "200'# 2 MLJ 1$001
:.?; :t is not *ispute* that 2P' ha* testi-ie* .*uring e9amination!in!hie-0 that the appellant ha* -irst in-orme*
him that thieves ha* entere* into the house1 4hen 2P' in5uire* -urther3 the appellant sai* that three men
entere* into the house an* attempte* to ra2e the *eease*1 :n onsi*ering the probable *e-ene o- the
appellant3 the learne* trial 7u*ge -oun* that there was no sign that the house was broken into an* the house
was not ransake*1 )he appellant was last seen with the *eease*1 +er *eath was *ue to nek in7uries1
6or*ing to 2P=3 the pathologist3 the kni-e ./e9h P11,/0 mathe* the *esription o- the mur*er weapon1 )he
*eease*/s ;<6 pro-ile was also -oun* on the appellant1
2 M! "#$ at "$"
2P' an* 2P10 who both went to hek on the house *i* not see anyone esaping -rom the house1 )he
available evi*ene onnete* the appellant to the allege* mur*er1
:.@; 6s regar*s to the issue o- the -inger prints -oun* at the rime sene3 the learne* trial 7u*ge hel* that lak
o- -ingerprint evi*ene ha* not ause* any reasonable *oubt on the proseution/s ase1
:/,; 4e are in total agreement with the learne* trial 7u*ge1 )aking in totality the irumstantial evi*ene
a**ue*3 it points towar*s the guilt o- the appellant1 6t the onlusion o- the proseution/s ase3 the
e9istene o- the three men remaine* a remote possibility that oul* not reate a gap in the proseution/s
ase1
:/.; :n the irumstanes o- the ase3 we are satis-ie* that the learne* trial 7u*ge ha* *irete* himsel-
orretly in law when he onsi*ere* the probable *e-ene o- the appellant in *ei*ing whether the
proseution ha* ma*e out a prima -aie ase1
Page '
T%E EBALUAT!O" OF &EFE"CE CA*E
://; :n essene3 the *e-ene raise* by the appellant was that the allege* mur*er was ommitte* by the three
unknown men1
:/1; )he appellant/s evi*ene3 when ritially teste* against the prove* -ats o- the ase3 *i* not inspire
on-i*ene an* -aile* to ast any reasonable *oubt on the proseution/s ase1 ?ur reasons are as -ollows8
1a) +a* there been any intru*ers in the house3 it woul* be *i--iult -or them to esape -rom the
bak gate as it was loke* an* the -ening was highC
1b) <o traes o- -oot print were -oun* ne9t to the bak gate to suggest the presene o- any
intru*ers in the houseC
1c) 2P' an* 2P10 both on-irme* that no one esape -rom the house when they went to hek on
itC
1d) )he appellant state* that when 2P' tol* him that the *eease* ha* *ie*3 he went insi*e an*
hel* his wi-e1 )hat was the reason why the *eease*/s ;<6 pro-ile was -oun* on his nail
sampling an* his long pants1 +owever3 both 2P' an* 2P10 *i* not see the appellant hel* his
wi-e1 )he *e-ene was also not suggeste* to both 2P' an* 2P10 who were together with the
appellant1 Aurther3 there was no evi*ene to suggest that the *eease*/s bo*y was move* a-ter
2P'/s wi-e overe* the orpse with a piee o- loth1
2 M! "#$ at "$:
:/=; 6nother *amning evi*ene against the appellant was the evi*ene o- 2P43 the me*ial o--ier who -irst
atten*e* to the appellant1 2P4 testi-ie* that when he was treating the appellant an* the appellant on-irme*
that the srathe* marks were ause* by the *eease*1 )his vital piee o- evi*ene was not hallenge*1 :t is
trite that -ailure to ross!e9amine a witness on a ruial part o- the ase will amount to an aeptane o- the
witness/s testimony .see Wong )wee Chin v Public Prosecutor "1(=1# 1 MLJ 21201 )he appellant also *i* not
attempt to e9plain how he sustaine* suh in7uries1 )he only reasonable in-erene that oul* be *rawn -rom it
was the appellant sustaine* the laeration woun*s *ue to a struggle or -ight with the *eease*1
:/-; 6nother issue to be a**resse* is the appellant/s unreasonable behaviour1 >ase* upon appellant/s
narrative3 he oul* not protet his wi-e beause the three men were better built than him1 +owever3 when
both 2P' an* 2P10 went into the house to hek on the *eease* an* to -ight the thieves3 the appellant
hoose to stay behin*1 )he above on*ut has greatly a--ete* the probability o- the appellant/s version o-
the ase1 6ny reasonable husban* woul* surely -ollow 2P' an* 2P10 into the house to -ight the thieves or at
the very least to -in* out what ha* happene* to his wi-e1
:/>; >ase* on the onspetus o- the evi*ene3 we annot -in* any -ault with the reasoning an* onlusion o-
the learne* trial 7u*ge1 4e are satis-ie* that the appellant/s guilt was prove* beyon* reasonable *oubt1
:/0; >e-ore we onlu*e3 we must mention3 lest we be ause* o- an oversight3 we are aware that the
evi*ene a**ue* by the proseution in this instant ase is wholly irumstantial in nature1 6-ter onsi*ering
an* weighing the evi*ene as a whole3 we are -ully satis-ie* that the hain o- irumstantial evi*ene is
omplete an* *oes not leave any reasonable groun* -or onlusion onsistent with the innoene o- the
appellant1 )he hain o- irumstanes in the ase is suh as to show that within all human probability the
mur*er was ommitte* by the appellant an* none else1
:/?; 6ll tol*3 we -oun* no merits in this appeal1 )he appellant was rightly onvite* an* sentene*1 :n the
result3 we *ismisse* the appeal an* a--irme* the onvition an* sentene passe* by the +igh ,ourt1
5ppeal dismissed4
Reporte* by 6shok @umar

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