Monday, July 2, 2007

Proceedings on Day 10 of Altantuya Murder Trial

30 June 2007
Shah Alam

Lance Corporal Rohaniza Roslan, aged 29, testified yesterday in the High Court that her boyfriend, accused Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri had advised a "Chinese" woman to stop her commotion outside of Abdul Razak Baginda's house on 19 October 2006 as he drove her away in a red Proton Wira.

Lance Corporal Roslan was the prosecution's seventh witness to be called to the stand. She is attached to the Petaling Jaya district police station and has had a close relationship with Chief Inspector Azilah for nine years.

Chief Inspector Azilah had picked Lance Corporal Roslan up that night from the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters using her red Proton Wira Aeroback. After having dinner at a restaurant, they reached Chief Inspector Azilah's office at Bukit Aman to do some packing. At 8:10pm, Chief Inspector Azilah received a call and walked out of the office with his mobile phone still ringing. He returned about five minutes later to say that he had to meet a friend at Damansara Heights and asked Lance Corporal Roslan to wait for him at the office. However, Chief Inspector Azilah brought her along after she insisted.

Lance Corporal Roslan said that she saw an Indian man and a "Chinese" woman chatting outside of Abdul Razak's bungalow. Chief Inspector Azilah exited their car and approached the Indian man. They spoke for a while and walked to a tree nearby where Chief Inspector Azilah spoke on his mobile phone for about 10 minutes. After that, Chief Inspector Azilah returned to the car and asked Lance Corporal Roslan to move to the back seat. He then approached the Chinese woman and got her to sit next to Lance Corporal Roslan in the back.

When the car was about to move off, a man wearing a green cap got into the car and sat in the front passenger seat, whom Lance Corporal Roslan was not able to see his face. A taxi driver approached Chief Inspector Azilah asking for the cab fare the "Chinese" woman owed him. The Chief Inspector gave him several RM50 notes.

Chief Inspector Azilah drove for five minutes and the man with the green cap said, "Sir stop the car at the junction". The man then got off the car and went to a dark green Suzuki Vitara parked at the junction. He drove it off while Chief Inspector Azilah followed him.

While they were in the car, Lance Corporal Roslan said the Chief Inspector had told the woman in English not to cause any disturbance at Abdul Razak's house and to meet Abdul Razak at his office if she has any problems with him since he had a family. The woman agreed and asked Chief Inspector Azilah who the two rear passengers were. The Chief Inspector said they were police.

Both vehicles stopped along the highway towards Bukit Aman and Chief Inspector Azilah walked towards the Suzuki.

During Burmaa Oyunchimeg's testimony, there was a heated exchange between prosecutors and defence lawyers that started with Burmaa mentioning that she had seen a picture of her cousin Altantuya Shaariibuu, Abdul Razak Baginda and a government official.

Burmaa was re-examined by Deputy Public Prosecutor Manoj Kurup on a contention made by lawyer Wong Kian Kheong last Thursday. She was asked why she did not agree with Wong's allegation that she did not have personal knowledge of how Altantuya had disappeared.

She explained that Altantuya "only knew Razak Baginda in Malaysia" and that Altantuya had wanted to see him because Burmaa had "seen a photograph of Altantuya, Razak Baginda and a government official". DPP Manoj stopped her immediately and asked her the same question. Burmaa replied that Altantuya's cousin Namiraa Gerelmaa and friend Uuriintuya Gal-Ochir had told her about it.

Burmaa told the court that Abdul Razak and Altantuya had went to France and Italy together and Altantuya had shown her the photograph when she met Burmaa in Hong Kong afterwards. Judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin then said he did not have the photograph in his records.

Lawyer Karpal Singh, who is holding a watching brief for Altantuya's family and the Mongolian government, insisted on asking Burmaa on who she saw in the photograph. Lawyer Hazman Ahmad who was representing representing Chief Inspector Azilah and lead prosecutor Deputy Public Prosector Tun Abd Majid Tun Hamzah both objected to the existence of the photograph as evidence. Judge Mohd Zaki allowed Karpal Singh to continue his question.

Burmaa said the photograph contained Altantuya, Abdul Razak, some Malaysian government officials and others having a meal at a round table. Karpal asked her who the government officials were, and she said she could only remember the name "Najib Razak" because she thought they had a common name. She added that the photograph was also shown to Shaariibuu Setev, Altantuya's father.

Karpal Singh then argued that the photograph was relevant, as he was objected by Tun Majid, and that the Deputy Prime Minister was mentioned in Abdul Razak's bail application in January this year. Karpal Singh continued to say that DSP Musa Safri, whom Abdul Razak met when he went to the DPM's office as described in his bail, directed the three accused to take Altantuya away.

Hazman Ahmad then accused Karpal Singh of coaching Burmaa as Karpal Singh had been talking to the Mongolian interpreters. Judge Mohd Zaki finally decided that he would not record Karpal Singh's allegation against DSP Musa Safri and Hazman Ahmad's accusation that Karpal Singh had coached Burmaa, after which he did not allow further questions to be asked by Karpal Singh.

The photograph has not been submitted to the court as evidence yet.

Burmaa later lodged a police report after court proceedings that day against Hazman Ahmad over his allegation that she had been coached by Karpal Singh on how to testify.

Earlier on, Bumaa had also denied that the SMS that she had sent to Abdul Razak via P. Balasubramaniam was meant as a threat, as she claimed that she did not understand Wong who was "talking so fast".

When DPP Manoj asked her why she had sent that SMS, she replied that she was "angry and worried" for her cousin. She said she had been calling Balasubramaniam, who would say that Altantuya "had gone back in a taxi instead of telling the truth that she was taken away by a police officer" and disconnect the phone line.

New Straits Times - Azilah told woman not to cause trouble, says witness
<URL:http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/30/nation/18178038&sec=nation>

New Straits Times - Picture causes ruckus in court
<URL:http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/30/nation/18179134&sec=nation>

New Straits Times - I did not understand the question, says cousin
<URL:http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/30/nation/18178246&sec=nation>

New Straits Times - Cop: Azilah is my boyfriend
<URL:http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/6/30/nation/18177305&sec=nation>

MCW - Threatening SMS, Notes, and a Letter in Altantuya Case
<URL:http://malaysiacrimewatch.lokety.com/2007/06/threatening-sms-notes-and-letter-in.html>

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