SHAH ALAM, Jan 5 – Lawyers for Teoh Beng Hock’s family and the Selangor government said today they were dissastisfied with the coroner’s open verdict and will challenge it in the High Court here.
Karpal Singh and his son, Gobind Singh Deo, who are representing the Teohs, said they would be filing a motion to revise the verdict “as soon as possible” but did not give a date. Both lawyers said there was no time limit.
The lawyers added the challenge would not affect the family’s request for a royal commission of inquiry to look deeper into Teoh’s death.
Gobind said they would have to study the documents for the grounds they wanted to revise.
The younger lawyer pointed out that the coroner had made a remarkable finding that Teoh had suffered from pre-fall injuries, despite adding there was not enough evidence to conclude the injuries contributed directly to death.
“At the beginning of the inquest, the position the MACC took was that there was no harm or force used on Teoh Beng Hock when he was taken in as a witness.
“I think every Malaysian wants to know, how did he come by those injuries?
“Nobody is going to sit back and say, ‘These things happen’,” Gobind said.
He said the uncertainty explained why Teoh’s family remained “visibly disturbed”.
He called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to respond to the points raised by the coroner in his ruling.
Gobind, who is also a federal lawmaker, said the coroner’s decision to highlight the pre-fall injuries gave the family hope.
“The decision, despite being lacking in many things, but it is a starting step for us. We’re moving forward,” the Puchong MP pointed out, saying that the ruling on pre-fall injuries was one of several points in the family’s favour for a revision.
He also said the police should take another look at their investigation of the entire incident, and nodded to the testimonies by the officer tasked with heading the inquest, ASP Ahmad Nazri Zainal.
Lawyer for the Selangor government, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, echoed Gobind’s views.
Malik said the only reason the pre-fall injuries gained attention was due to Thai forensic expert, Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, who had advised Teoh’s body to be exhumed for a second check.
Malik reminded that Indian pathologist, Dr Prashant Naresh Samberkar, who had performed the first autopsy on Teoh together with the government’s Dr Khairul Aznam Ibrahim, had clearly said Teoh’s death was likely suicide only because there were no signs to indicate a struggle, based on the crime scene investigation reports.
“What is the neck injury if not a sign of a struggle?” Malik asked.
“So, if we rule out suicide, if we rule out an accident, how else would he have died?” quizzed the Penang-born lawyer who also expressed his dissatisfaction with the open verdict.
Father-and-son legal team for the Teohs, Karpal and Gobind Singh, say they will challenge the open verdict at the Shah Alam High Court. – Picture by Choo Choy May
The lawyers added the challenge would not affect the family’s request for a royal commission of inquiry to look deeper into Teoh’s death.
Gobind said they would have to study the documents for the grounds they wanted to revise.
The younger lawyer pointed out that the coroner had made a remarkable finding that Teoh had suffered from pre-fall injuries, despite adding there was not enough evidence to conclude the injuries contributed directly to death.
“At the beginning of the inquest, the position the MACC took was that there was no harm or force used on Teoh Beng Hock when he was taken in as a witness.
“I think every Malaysian wants to know, how did he come by those injuries?
“Nobody is going to sit back and say, ‘These things happen’,” Gobind said.
He said the uncertainty explained why Teoh’s family remained “visibly disturbed”.
He called on the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) to respond to the points raised by the coroner in his ruling.
Gobind, who is also a federal lawmaker, said the coroner’s decision to highlight the pre-fall injuries gave the family hope.
“The decision, despite being lacking in many things, but it is a starting step for us. We’re moving forward,” the Puchong MP pointed out, saying that the ruling on pre-fall injuries was one of several points in the family’s favour for a revision.
He also said the police should take another look at their investigation of the entire incident, and nodded to the testimonies by the officer tasked with heading the inquest, ASP Ahmad Nazri Zainal.
Lawyer for the Selangor government, Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, echoed Gobind’s views.
Malik said the only reason the pre-fall injuries gained attention was due to Thai forensic expert, Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand, who had advised Teoh’s body to be exhumed for a second check.
Malik reminded that Indian pathologist, Dr Prashant Naresh Samberkar, who had performed the first autopsy on Teoh together with the government’s Dr Khairul Aznam Ibrahim, had clearly said Teoh’s death was likely suicide only because there were no signs to indicate a struggle, based on the crime scene investigation reports.
“What is the neck injury if not a sign of a struggle?” Malik asked.
“So, if we rule out suicide, if we rule out an accident, how else would he have died?” quizzed the Penang-born lawyer who also expressed his dissatisfaction with the open verdict.
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