Altantuya Murder Case 25/07/07

I Did Not See Any Traces Of Murder, Says Senior Policeman

SHAH ALAM, July 25 (Bernama) -- DSP Zainudin Abdul Samad told the High Court here today that he did not see any traces of murder when he was at the place where Altantuya Shaariibu was allegedly killed.
The 52-year-old interrogation branch head of the Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department said that he went there on Nov 6 last year, he only stood next to a four-wheel-drive vehicle parked in a clearing.
The 21st prosecution witness in the trial for the Mongolian woman's murder, also said he did not follow Chief Inspector Koh Fei Cheow who went to a bushy area with Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and several police officers.
Azilah, 31, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, are accused of murdering Altantuya, 28, at lots 12843 and 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja between 10pm on Oct 19, last year and 1am the next day.
Political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, 47, is alleged to have abetted the two Special Action Squad (UTK) personnel in the murder at between 9.54am on Oct 18 last year and 9.45pm the next day in Kuala Lumpur.

Witness Denies Action Meant To Suppress Evidence

SHAH ALAM, July 25 (Bernama) -- The police officer responsible for interrogating Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, the first accused in the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, told the High Court here that the fact that he did not make any notes on the journey by the investigating team to the crime scene was not meant at suppressing evidence.
Head of the Bukit Aman CID Interrogation Branch, DSP Zainudin Abdul Samad, rejected the contention that he deliberately told the court that he did not take any notes so that he did not have to answer any question on the discovery of the crime scene.
When asked by defence counsel Hazman Ahmad, representing Azilah, he however conceded that according to procedure, the police record book must be filled with the movement and tasks carried out and it should be submitted to the superior offficer every month for review.
In his testimony on the 25th day of the trial, Zainudin said that in his investigation, all information were entered in the intelligence file but the notes were not meant for the trial like the investigation papers.
He denied that his action in not recording the notes in the record book and investigation diary resulted in his testimony on the discovery of the murder scene to be inaccurate and incorrect.

Azilah Said He Does Not Like To Lie, Witness Tells Court

SHAH ALAM, July 25 (Bernama) -- A police officer told the High Court here Wednesday that Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, on trial for the murder of a Mongolian woman, had told him that he did not like to lie.
DSP Zainudin Abdul Samad, the 21st witness in the case, said Azilah had said this during the time he was interrogated over five days.
Zainudin, 52, head of the interrogation unit at Bukit Aman police headquarters, gave this reply under cross-examination by Azilah's counsel Hazman Ahmad when the lawyer asked him what Azilah hated most.
Azilah, 31, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, both of the Bukit Aman Special Action Force, are charged with the murder of the Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaariibuu, 28, at a location between lots 12843 and 16735, Mukim Bukit Raja, between 10 pm on Oct 19 and 1 am on Oct 20 last year.
Political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, 47, is charged with abetting them in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur between 9.54 am on Oct 18 and 9.45 pm on Oct 19 last year.
Zainudin also told the court that Azilah had also told him that he (Azilah) was an intelligent person and that he liked to fast and that he had fasted even in detention.
He said Azilah, who hails from Sarikei, Sarawak, also liked to enjoy himself and go window shopping.
Under re-examination by Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah, Zainudin said that during his "interview" Azilah had stated his desire to show the place where Altantuya was murdered rather reluctantly.
Earlier, under cross-examination, he said Azilah had said he was happy to discharge his duty because he could often go overseas.
Zainudin said Azilah, who was from a poor family, admitted to him that he had a fiancee who then worked at the D7 Branch at the Petaling Jaya police headquarters.
"Azilah often referred to his fiancee as Ani," Zainudin said when questioned by counsel Hazman.
Azilah's fiancee Lance Corporal Rohaniza Roslan had also testified in the trial.
Zainudin denied that Azilah had informed him that he (Azilah) had another girlfriend whose name was Azila, almost resembling his (Azilah's) name.
He said that after completing school, Azilah worked in Johor before joining the police force.
He said Azilah first served as a crime investigation officer at the Sepang district police headquarters for five years before he was absorbed into the Special Action Force.
Zainudin said Azilah informed him that his job at the Special Action Force was to escort the prime minister and deputy prime minister and do other escort duty.
Hazman: He (Azilah) told you he only did escort duty? What about other duties?
Zainudin: I was told only that.
Zainudin said Azilah had told him he had many siblings and both his parents had relocated from Sarikei to Sepang, Selangor. He said he told him his parents were old and no longer worked.
"He (Azilah) also told me he had an adopted child," said Zainudin, adding that Azilah did not tell him the age and gender of the child but that the child was still young.
He also said he did not know what special skills Azilah had acquired at the Special Action Force.