Altantuya Accused File Police Reports Against Raja Petra

The two policemen on trial for the murder of Mongolian translator Altantuya Shaariibuu denied that they threatened Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin while he was held in Sg Buloh prison last week.

Unit Tindakan Khas operatives C/Insp Azilah Hadri and Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar made their denial through their lawyers Monday just before the proceedings began on Day 109 of the murder trial.

They later lodged police reports over the matter at the courthouse at the end of the proceedings.

Datuk Hazman Ahmad, counsel for Azilah, told the court that he had spoken to his client as well as to Sirul Azhar and both confirmed that the incident never took place.

"They've never met Raja Petra and neither did they know of his location while he was held in the Sg Buloh prison.

"This (Raja Petra's allegations) is highly prejudicial to my client and should not be published without having the facts verified first," the lawyer said.

Hazman said that because reporters had even called him about the alleged incident, it made it look like it really had happened.

"This incident did not occur," he stressed.

Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, counsel for Sirul Azhar, concurred with Hazman, saying he had instructed his client to lodge a police report over the blogger's allegations.

Referring to Raja Petra's post dated May 9 entitled Thank you so much and sorry for letting you down, Kamarul Hisham said the blogger had also implied that the two policemen from the elite squad was fearful of the publicity of the murder trial.

When Justice Mohd Zaki Md Yasin asked if either of the two policemen had lodged police reports, both lawyers replied that they had not because they only saw them Monday during lunch.

The judge then gave an assurance that whatever published on Raja Petra's website would have no effect on the trial before him.

"This report is on the website. Whether it's true or not, let it be investigated. You can rest assured that the court will not be affected by it," Justice Mohd Zaki said.

The trial resumes Tuesday with Wong Kian Kheong, counsel for political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda (who is charged with abetting the murder), expected to begin cross-examination of investigating officer Asst Supt Tonny Lunggan.

The 58-year-old Raja Petra was charged on May 6 in Petaling Jaya with publishing a seditious article on the Malaysia Today website. (The Star)