Malaysia Crime Watch

7 September 2007
Shah Alam

Corporal Chiam Swee Guan was the fifth witness in a trial-within-a-trial to determine if accused Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar’s statements leading to the discovery of murder victim Altantuya Shaariibuu’s jewellery can be recognized in court. He was aware of the details of the case while he was instructed to escort Azhar to his apartment on 7 November 2006.

43-year-old Chiam also said that he knew who had instructed the bomb disposal unit to wait at the Kota Damansara toll and who had arranged for Azhar’s apartment keys to be brought to the apartment. Chiam believed that the Special Action Squad (UTK) team was aware beforehand of the Bukit Aman serious crimes division (D9) investigating team was heading to the apartment.

Chiam said investigating officer Assistant Superintendent Zulkarnain Samsudin had asked Azhar to show him where he was said to have put the jewellery. When Azhar took his black leather jacket out of a cupboard and pointed to the items saying that they were Altantuya’s belongings, a police photographer just took photographs of Azhar there and then.

41-year-old Lance Corporal Kamarol Zaman Mat Nor was the police photographer who was ordered by Zulkarnain to take pictures of Azhar pointing to the items. The jewellery were among the items that the D9 police team found in Azhar’s apartment room. A watch, a ring and a pair of ear rings were found there.

Kamarol Zaman told the court yesterday that several policemen from D9 led by Zulkarnain spent 10 minutes in Azhar’s room before he was asked to enter to take photographs. He was specifically ordered by Zulkarnain not to enter while they were searching the room. He was ordered to take photographs of Azhar pointing to the his black leather jacket where the items were found in. Kamarol Zaman took 11 photographs that day.

The trial-within-a-trial continues today.

The Star Online – Pix of Sirul taken spontaneously
<URL:http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/9/7/nation/18809470&sec=nation>

New Straits Times – Altantuya murder trial: Photographer denies being involved in search
<URL:http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Friday/National/20070907085005/Article/index_html>

MCW – Four Contradictions Listed Against Special Action Squad Member
<URL:http://malaysiacrimewatch.lokety.com/four-contradictions-listed-against/>

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