Altantuya Murder Case - 27/07/07

Demand For Money Is Not Extortion - Witness

SHAH ALAM, June 27 (Bernama) -- A private investigator hired by Altantuya Shaariibuu told the High Court here today that the Mongolian woman would disclose everything to the "wife, daughter and media" if Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda refused to hand over USD500,000 (RM1.73 million) was not a threat.
It was more a husband and wife relationship, "If you don't want me anymore, then pay me," Ang Chong Beng, 56, said this when re-examined by Deputy Public Prosecutor Raya Manoj Kurup at the hearing on the murder of the Mongolian woman.
He also said that although Altantuya was his client, he did not wish to interfere and did not want to know about the incident where Altantuya was taken by the police from the political analyst's house on Oct 17, 2006.
Manoj: "You were also asked several questions after the incident where Amina (Altantuya) was taken by the police. You had said that you did not want to know why Amina was taken by the police. If you did not want to know, why did you follow them to the Brickfields Police Station?"
Ang: "I had to send Altantuya back to the hotel and I was afraid if Altantuya was in danger."
Abdul Razak, 46, is being charged with abetting Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 30, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar 35, both from the Special Action Unit, in killing Altantuya, 28.
The political analyst is accused of committing the offence at the Federal Territory between 9.54 am, Oct 18 2006 and 9.45 pm on Oct 19 last year.
Azilah and Sirul Azhar are accused of killing Altantuya at Lot 12843 and Lot 16735 Mukim Bukit Raja, Shah Alam between 10 pm, Oct 19 and 1 am on Oct 20, 2006.
Earlier when cross-examined by counsel Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, who is representing Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, if Ang considered the act by Altantuya who had gone to Abdul Razak's house as an offence, why did he not go to Altantuya when the police came, Ang replied: "I did not wish to interfere. I let her follow the police."
Ahmad Zaidi: "In your opinion as an investigator, why was Amina (Altantuya) taken by the police on that particular night?"
Ang: "It was late at night then and usually if someone goes to a private property, the police will arrest him or her. It's normal. It is harassment.
Ahmad Zaidi: "You knew Amina was committing an offence?"
Ang: "To me, Amina was not harassing. She had only come to meet someone."
Ahmad Zaidi: "So, you collaborated with Amina to make a disturbance?"
Ang: "I don't agree that I was collaborating."
Ahmad Zaidi also asked Ang what was his perception of Altantuya when he first met her, whether he thought she was a rich or poor woman, Ang replied "normal."
At the hearing yesterday, Ang told the court that Altantuya did not pay him the initial fee for the job assigned as she had said that she was poor and had no money.
Ahmad Zaidi: "Did you notice Amina wearing any jewellery during your first meeting?"
Ang: "I am not sure".
Ahmad Zaidi: "Do you agree that from the way that Amina dressed, she was not a poor woman?"
Ang: "Disagree".
Ang also testified that he was informed by (Abdul Razak's) private investigator P.Balasubramaniam that Abdul Razak was a VIP (very important person) and as such Abdul Razak did not want his name to appear in the newspaper or to be known by anyone when discussing Altantuya's demand.
Asked if Ang was not curious if a poor woman had asked for a substantial amount of money (from someone), he said: "It's not strange, Altantuya's son was sick. (She) needed a lot of money."
When Ang was replying, Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin interjected: "Why? Poor people should only ask for a small sum of money?" which was greeted with laughter from the public gallery.
Ang had earlier denied that it was he who had suggested that Altantuya demanded the USD$500,000 from Abdul Razak and disagreed that a portion of that money was for him.
At the start of the proceedings, Ang, who was always covering his face when giving testimony in court, was criticised by Ahmad Zaidi who wanted the private investigator to face him during questioning.
Since yesterday, Ang was always looking at the interpreter and the Judge while today, he covered his face with his identity card.
Ang said he was a private investigator and did not want publicity and that he did not want the court's graphic artist to draw his face.
"I'm a private investigator. It's difficult to get jobs later," he said.
Justice Mohd Zaki said it was up to Ang to do so.
Ang gave his testimony in Cantonese which was later translated into Bahasa Malaysia.
The courtroom was still full on the eighth day of the hearing although the media was not under very tight police security today but members of the press must be present before 7 am to obtain the limited entry passes.
As usual, Abdul Razak took the opportunity to embrace members of his family before the proceedings began and had time to shave his beard, while Sirul and Azilah were more casual, and sometimes acknowledged the press.
Hearing continues tomorrow.

Shaariibuu Lodges Report Over Altantuya's Missing Entry Record

SHAH ALAM, June 27 (Bernama) -- Altantuya's father, Dr Shaariibuu Setev today lodged a police report on the alleged disappearance of the entry record of his daughter and two other Mongolian women to this country in October last year in the Malaysian and Beijing Immigration Departments' registries.
The report was made by him following the statement made by Altantuya's friend, Uuriintuya Gal-Ochir, yesterday, after giving her evidence as the fourth prosecution witness in the Altantuya murder trial.
Shaariibuu made the report at the Shah Alam High Court Police Beat Base, after the trial was adjourned for the lunch break.
Lawyer Karpal Singh, who is holding a watching brief for the family of Altantuya and the Mongolian goverment, said outsite the courtroom that the matter needed clarification because it was very serious and an attempt to obliterate the information from the record.
He said the matter should not be left hanging because it was a pertinent and significant issue as "it is an attempt to show that Altantuya never entered Malaysia and could not have been murdered here".
"An investigation should be carried out to know why and on what reason Altantuya's name was deleted from the record," he said.
Karpal also said he was surprised when the prosecution said that the matter was not relevant and they (prosecution) had also made an application for the evidence to be expunged from the court's record.
Responding to a question why Shaariibuu delayed to lodge the report, Karpal said that the matter was only brought in court yesterday.
Meanwhile before making the report, Shaariibuu said that this was not the only fact that he thought was serious and significant.
"This matter is supposed to be taken into investigation and more statements should be given. I was thinking that since my arrival in June, I would have been taken by police but no one had asked to give a statement.
"I had given so much information to the press before the trial began, now I will lodge a report on this fact and some other facts," said Shaariibuu through his Mongolian translator.
He stressed that the way her daughter was killed - shot twice and blasted using a bomb - was a cruel act

Witness Claims Altantuya Married Razak In Hong Kong

SHAH ALAM, June 27 (Bernama) -- A private investigator hired by Altantuya Shaariibuu told the High Court here today that the part-time model married political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda in Hong Kong almost two years before her murder.
Ang Chong Beng, 56, the prosecution's fifth witness, said the marriage was told to him by Altantuya.
However, when questioned further by Abdul Razak's counsel Wong Kian Kheong, Ang said he did not ask to see any document from Altantuya to prove that she was married to Abdul Razak and neither did she show it to him.
Ang said: "I did not and could not be bothered to ask about her marriage."
When asked whether Ang, as a private investigator with 22 years of experience fully accepted what Altantuya told him, he said yes.
Ang said he did not know whether they married in September 2006 and did not investigate to confirm it.
He said the first time he knew that Abdul Razak was married was on Oct 13, 2006 but did not know who his wife was and he also had no knowledge of Altantuya's religion. But he knew Abdul Razak was a Muslim.
He said he was also aware that under Malaysia's Islamic law, Muslims could only marry Muslims.
While Ang was answering the question, Abdul Razak was seen mimicking him as though he was amused and then smiled at the journalists in court.
Wong: On Oct 13, 2006 after you knew that Abdul Razak was a Muslim and that his wife was not Altantuya, were you suspicious that Altantuya had lied that Abdul Razak was her husband?
Ang: No.
Wong: As a private investigator for Altantuya, did you advise her that she could not marry a Muslim under Malaysia' Islamic law?
Ang: No.
Ang said he also did not ask his client to seek legal opinion from a lawyer on the marriage.
During re-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Manoj Kurup whether it was required of a private investigator, in looking for someone's address, to also look for certain facts like the person's marital status, Ang replied: "We don't have the power to ask (such questions)."
Manoj: Do you care or not?
Ang: I only believe it.
Manoj: So, it's none of your business?.
Ang: None of my business. Normally, I don't care. If someone tells me that he or she is married, that's enough. If there's divorce, we need to see the certificate."
Ang said in September 2006, Altantuya paid him US$600 for the task of finding out and reporting to her whether Abdul Razak was home in Malaysia or abroad.
He confirmed receiving the payment on Oct 2, 2006.
Ang admitted that Altantuya had promised to pay him for his services after getting money from Abdul Razak.
He said Altantuya and two other Mongolian women had gone to Abdul Razak's office in Bangunan Lembaga Getah Asli Malaysia more than three times.
Ang said during each visit, Abdul Razak refused to meet Altantuya.
Wong: When the accused refused to meet Altantuya, did you suspect that she was not his wife?
Ang: No.
Wong: Were you also not suspicious that the three Mongolian women were disturbing the accused?
Ang: Yes.
Wong: Do you know that disturbance can be categorised as intimidation, which is an offence under Malaysian law?
Ang: I know.
Ang was then queried by Wong on his and Altantuya's appearance at his client's house on Oct 17, 2006 which counsel regarded as uninvited.
Ang agreed with Wong's suggestion that Abdul Razak's house was private property and that an unsolicited visit could tantamount to trespassing.
Wong: From your experience as a private investigator, when one enters a private property at 11 at night without permission, what offence could have been committed?
Ang: I don't know.
Wong: You have testified that Altantuya was taken by police to the station and wanted to make a police report. Did you advise that there was no basis for making a report?
Ang: There was.
More questions were posed to Ang about Altantuya wanting to get US$500 from Abdul Razak to pay him for his services, including what would happen if the accused refused to give the money.
"Altantuya said she would tell about everything to Abdul Razak's wife, his daughter, TV3 and reporters," said Ang.
Wong: Wasn't that extortion?
Ang: No.
Wong: Did you know that by Oct 17, 2006, the accused's wife and their daughter knew about his affair with Altantuya?
Ang: I did not.
Ang also disagreed with counsel that if a sum of US$500,000 was paid by Abdul Razak, part of it would be used to pay him (Ang) for his services.
He also denied issuing a threat to Abdul Razak through SMS and leaving a voice mail in order to extort money from him.
In yesterday's hearing, Ang told the court that Altantuya had asked for money from Abdul Razak in the presence of private investigator P. Balasubramaniam and his assistant K. Suras Kumar outside the police station late at night on Oct 17, 2006.
Ang said for as long as he knew Altantuya, he was never told about the threat from Balasubramaniam and Suras Kumar that she would be killed.
At the end of cross-examination by Wong, Ang stressed that he did not abet Altantuya and the other two Mongolian women in threatening Abdul Razak and also denied making a false police report on their marriage.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 30, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 35, both from the federal police Special Action Squad, are charged with the murder of Altantuya, 28, at a location between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735, Mukim Bukit Raja here between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20, 2006.
Abdul Razak is charged with abetting the murder and the offence is alleged to have been committed in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19, 2006.

Altantuya Missing After Visit To Abdul Razak's House, Says Witness

SHAH ALAM, June 27 (Bernama) -- A private investigator hired by Altantuya Shaariibuu told the High Court here Wednesday that he no longer received calls from the Mongolian part-time model after she went to political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda's house last October.
Ang Chong Beng, 56, who continued testifying on the eighth day of the high-profile murder trial, said before her disappearance Altantuya told him that P. Balasubramaniam had asked her to go to Abdul Razak's house to meet him.
He added that Altantuya said this through the phone at about 6pm on Oct 19, 2006 while he was driving back to Kuala Lumpur from Johor Baharu.
Ang, the fifth prosecution witness, said Altantuya had asked him to send her to Abdul Razak's house in Damansara Heights but told her that he could not do so.
Questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Manoj Kurup, Ang said he then asked Altantuya to take the taxi to Abdul Razak's house.
Manoj: After that, did you receive any call from Altantuya?
Ang: No.
Manoj: When did you receive news on what happened to Altantuya after that?
Ang: On Oct 20. I can't remember the time. Her cousin called me to say that Altantuya did not return.
Ang said he then went to see the two Mongolian women identified as Uuriintuya Gal Ochir and Altantuya's cousin, Namiraa Gerelma and took them to lodge a police report on Altantuya's disappearance.
He said before the report was made at the Jalan Tun H.S. Lee police station, he had spoken to Amy (Burmaa Oyunchimeg) who requested him to make the report.
Ang said he translated into Bahasa Malaysia for Namiraa in making the police report as she was not proficient in English.
"She could only speak a few words of English. She said, `Altantuya no come back'," he said.
Manoj: What did you tell the police when Namiraa said `Altantuya no come back'?
Ang: I told the police that Altantuya had gone to the house of Abdul Razak and did not return.
Ang admitted that the report was made in his own words but based on his knowledge and information given by Namiraa and also by Altantuya earlier.
He said Altantuya's age and their room number at Hotel Malaya were given by Namiraa.
Manoj: What about the second sentence in the report which reads, `On Oct 19, 2006 my friend received a call from an Indian man saying that her husband had asked my friend to go to No. 22, Jalan Setiajaya, Damansara Heights'? Where did this information come from?
Ang: "Altantuya had phoned me on Oct 19, 2006 to inform me about it.
Manoj: Why divulge this information?
Ang: Because I knew about the matter.
Manoj: The following sentence, `For information, my friend had married Abdul Razak bin Abdullah.' Where this information came from?
Ang: Altantuya told me that Abdul Razak was her husband.
Ang said he then signed the report in the space, `Jurubahasa' (translator), and explained the content to Namiraa.
He also testified that he wanted to make the police report himself as he knew Altantuya as his client who had disappeared, but because Namiraa and Altantuya were closely related, he allowed her cousin to do it.
Ang said he then asked Inspector Mohd Faizol Azuhan Che Omar for help to save Altantuya and they went straight to Abdul Razak's house.
Ang said that outside the gate, he called out, `Abdul Razak, release Altantuya' several times but there was no response.
He said Bala (P. Balasubramaniam) was also there at the time and was seen speaking to Faizol.
"I did not know what they talked about. But Inspector Faizol then told me that the police would investigate and asked me to go home. I sent the Mongolian women to their hotel and I went home," he added.
Ang also told the hearing before judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin that he had never contacted Abdul Razak on his handphone.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, both from the federal police Special Action Squad, are charged with the murder of Altantuya, 28, at Lot 12843 and Lot 16735, Mukim Bukit Raja here between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20, 2006.
Abdul Razak, 46, is charged with abetting the two men and the offence is alleged to have been committed in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19, 2006.
If convicted, the three accused face the death sentence under Section 302 of the Penal Code.