Conviction opens can of worms, says Sirul's lawyer

 

Former police commando Sirul Azhar Umar’s conviction has 'opened a can of worms' with regard to the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, says his lawyer Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin.

While he respects the Federal Court verdict, Kamarul Hisham said, the problem was that the motive was not established.

"My client's conviction has opened a 'can of worms' as to what the motive of the murder was.

"The motive was not established against my client (whether in the in High Court, Court of Appeal or the Federal Court)," he said when met on the sidelines of another case today.

The lawyer, one of three who represented Sirul, said the evidence showed that calls and text messages were made among political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, DSP Musa Safri and the first accused Azilah Hadri from three days before the incident.

This, Kamarul Hisham (left) said, took place right up to the night of the murder in late 2006.

"Who gave, and what were, the alleged instructions? Why was DSP Musa not called to testify?" he queried, referring to Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s former aide de camp.

The lawyer said these are the questions which are being debated by the public.

Kamarul Hisham had, at the Court of Appeal and Federal Court, questioned the prosecution's move not to call DSP Musa/ The Court of Appeal said in its judgment that the non-calling of the former aide-de-camp had resulted in a serious misdirection of the case.

During the trial at the High Court in Shah Alam, Sirul had caused a stir when he claimed that he was being made into a “scapegoat” to “protect their plans”.

'My client could have been framed'

Kamarul Hisham had then suggested that his client could have been framed for the murder of the Mongolian national.

Last week, the Federal Court sentenced Sirul, who is currently believed to be in Australia, and Azilah to death.

Following the judgment, Altantuya’s father Setev Shaariibuu questioned the reason behind his daughter being killed and her remains blown up with explosives.

The Malaysian government is currently attempting to extradite Sirul, but Australian law dictates that a person facing the death penalty in his or her home country cannot be sent back.

The Altantuya murder, which remains a high-profile matter, saw Najib, who was then deputy prime minister and defence minister, being accused of involvement.

His close associate Abdul Razak, who admitted to having an affair with Altantuya, was charged with abetting the murder but was later acquitted without his defence being called.

The police, meanwhile, cleared Najib of any wrongdoing and Najib also swore his innocence in the name of God.

The murder was also linked to Malaysia’s procurement of two French Scorpene submarines, which Abdul Razak’s firm was tasked with purchasing and maintaining.