Malaysia Crime Watch

20 January 2009
Shah Alam

Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri said in High Court yesterday that he did not go to Puncak Alam with Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar to murder Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu and denied being at the murder site on 19 October 2006 between 10:43pm and 11:28pm.

The two, both from the Unit Tindakan Khas (UTK), are charged with murdering 28-year-old Altantuya and have started giving their defence in court since early this month.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah also asked if Azilah had spoken to Azhar on the night of the murder to finalise on the plans to murder the woman and if Azhar had sent Altantuya to her hotel that day. Azilah denied both statements.

Azilah did admit that he was armed with his issued weapon when he met co-accused Abdul Razak Baginda on 18 October 2006, but had left it in his office cabinet when he returned to the Bukit Aman police headquarters. As such, he said he was not carrying his weapon when he went to look for Altantuya at Hotel Malaya.

Razak was charged with abetment of the murder but has been acquitted without his defence being called.

When questioned by Azhar’s lawyer Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, Azhar admitted that he had communicated with Razak and DSP Musa Mohd Safri between 20 and 22 October 2006. Although he admitted that he had received 10 missed calls from Razak on 21 October 2006 morning, he denied several times that he had spoken to nor received a short message from Razak. Azhar did admit that he had spoken to DSP Musa for three times and saw a missed call from him on 21 October 2006 at 9:40am.

Hearing continues before judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin.

The Star Online – Accused denies being at murder scene
<URL:http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/20/courts/3062602&sec=courts>

The Star Online – Altantuya trial: ‘I had no motive’
<URL:http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/1/20/nation/20090120162652&sec=nation>

New Straits Times Online – Altantuya Murder Trial: Azilah claims ignorance
<URL:http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/National/2457807/Article/index_html>

MCW – Altantuya Murder Trial: Azilah Denies Intention to Kill
<URL:http://malaysiacrimewatch.lokety.com/altantuya-murder-trial-azilah-denies-intention-to-kill/>

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