Americk finishes testifying against Cecil Abraham

 

As the disciplinary proceeding on alleged professional misconduct by prominent corporate lawyer Cecil Abraham continues this weekend, it is understood that senior lawyer Americk Sidhu has copleted his testimony.

Sources familiar with the inquiry told Malaysiakini that Americk testified before the three-member Advocates and Solicitors Disciplinary Board panel almost two weeks ago, on Oct 29, at the height of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s Sodomy II appeal.

With this, the board had already heard testimonies from two lawyers, namely Americk and another key witness who is also a senior lawyer, who was allegedly first approached by some VVIPs to draft the controversial second statutory declaration (SD) of the late P Balasubramaniam on the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The senior lawyer, whose identity remains confidential, had testified on Oct 1.

Cecil is being investigated under Section 94 of the Legal Profession Act 1976, under which the board has the power to strike a lawyer off the roll or suspend the person for misconduct.

The hearing, which is carried out behind closed doors and in secrecy, will resume on Saturday, with several witnesses having been subpoenaed.

It is understood that controversial carpet businessperson Deepak Jaikishian is one of those called as a witness, but it is uncertain whether he will testify in the proceeding this week.

‘Deepak regretted having role in second SD’

Deepak told Malaysiakini in an interview two years ago that be regretted having a role in Bala’s second SD, where he claimed he helped at a request of “a female friend”.

Americk was Balasubramaniam’s lawyer, and helped draft the first SD in July 2008, which revealed that Najib Abdul Razak, who was deputy prime minister then, had links with the slain Mongolian translator.

However, the next day the private investigator retracted the controversial first SD, following the alleged roles played by Deepak and Cecil.

The complaint against Cecil was filed by the Bar Council in April last year, following revelations that Balasubramaniam’s second SD, which retracted his explosive first SD, was not sanctioned by the private eye but allegedly drafted by the senior lawyer.

This resulted from Americk revealing to the Malaysian Bar annual general meeting (AGM) that Cecil had confided in him that Najib had instructed the prominent lawyer (Cecil) to help draft the second SD.

The AGM, which was held a day after the death of Balasubramaniam, was debating a motion on setting up an independent committee to investigate who had drafted the second SD.

It is also reported that Balasubramaniam’s widow and family had filed a suit against Najib, his wife Rosmah Mansor, Cecil and Deepak, among others, following the second SD,which had resulted in the family being in exile in India for five years.

The civil court case will come up on Nov 20, in the High Court Kuala Lumpur, with the defendants applying to strike out the suit.