Is it the end of the Altantuya murder or...?

 

In 2006, she was brutally murdered. Now, almost a decade later, two former policemen have been sentenced to death by the Federal Court, bringing the high-profile Altantuya Shaariibuu case to an end.

But has the curtain really come down?

From the Shah Alam High Court, which found Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar guilty, the Court of Appeal which overturned the verdict, and the Federal Court which sentenced them to death, one crucial factor has remained elusive - the motive.

The courts did not establish the reason behind the duo, who were attached with the elite special operations force then, dragging the Mongolian national into a jungle and blowing her up with highly restricted C4 explosives.

Another important question concerns the phone calls reportedly made by Azilah from the scene of the crime. It was not established with whom he communicated with.

And now Sirul himself has disappeared.

This has added another twist to the already convoluted murder case, which saw the likes of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and the procurement of submarines, during his tenure as defence minister, being linked to the issue.

The police have cleared Najib while his close associate Abdul Razak Baginda, who admitted to having an affair with Altantuya, was acquitted of abetting in the murder, without Abdul Razak being called to make his defence.

Sirul’s absence has now fired up the conspiracy mills, with some believing that the fugitive might choose to open a can of worms.

He had already dropped hints of a being in possession of a bombshell when, during the hearing before the lower courts, he had claimed to have been made a scapegoat “for their plans”.

Though he never revealed who these people were, Sirul’s lawyer had also suggested that his client could have been framed.

Now, a warrant of arrest has been issued and the police are on the manhunt for the convicted murderer, who some claim could be seeking refuge abroad.

However, national news agency Bernama quoted a source claiming that Sirul has been overseas for two months and cannot afford to return to Malaysia.

So, would the police arrest him and bring him back or does Sirul have something up his sleeve?

The defence still has one option, which is to file for a review of the Federal Court judgment.