KUALA LUMPUR,(themalaysianinsider) Nov 1 — Two members of an elite police unit charged with the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu will enter their defence when the trial reconvenes Nov 10 — and they plan to summon a prominent blogger, a private investigator and an aide to Datuk Seri Najib Razak as witnesses.
If the court allows Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar to call these witnesses, it could certainly lead to more explosive trial, and answer some of the nagging questions about the murder of the Mongolian model.
Azilah ,32, and Sirul, 37, stand accused of killing Altantuya in 2006 in a jungle in Shah Alam, outside Kuala Lumpur. Both have chosen to testify under oath in making their defence.
Judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin yesterday also dismissed applications to leave out confessions by both men.
The prosecution says Azilah had led police to the scene where Altantuya was shot and her body blown up, while her jewellery was found in Sirul's apartment.
The Straits Times reported that the two looked calm and composed in court yesterday, but their family members cried following the court's decision.
A teary-eyed Azila Baharuddin, who is Azilah's fiancee, told The Straits Times: “What can we do? We will have to face it. He is not guilty, so we will fight it. We still have a chance.”
Sirul's counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin said they plan to call two witnesses — private investigator P. Balasubramaniam and prominent blogger Raja Petra Kamarudin, who is currently being held under the Internal Security Act.
Raja Petra is also currently being tried for alleged sedition over an article posted on his website alleging that Najib and his wife were involved in the murder.
Azilah's lawyer Hazman Ahmad was quoted as saying by The Sun daily that they plan to call four witnesses, including Najib's aide-de-camp Musa Safri.
According to an affidavit filed by Abdul Razak Baginda, Musa introduced him to Azilah. If found guilty, both men face the death penalty.
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