One of the two ex-police commandos accused of the gruesome murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006 was missing from the Federal Court today as judges prepare to rule on the prosecution’s appeal against his acquittal.
Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 43 — who was charged along with Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 39 — was freed in a 2013 Court of Appeal ruling that set aside the pair’s 2009 conviction and death sentence.
The Malay Mail Online ’s Ida Lim reports today that Sirul’s counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin told the court that his client could not be located. “I cannot get in touch with my client,” the portal quoted him as saying.
Both men, who were members of the police’s Special Action Unit (UTK), were charged with murdering the Mongolian in Mukim Bukit Raja in Klang between 10pm on October 19, 2006 and 1am on October 20, 2006 in what is arguably the most explosive criminal case in Malaysian history.
The five-man panel headed by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria includes Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, Tan Sri Abdull Hamid Embong, Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar, Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop.
Photo credit: Reuters
