SHAH ALAM: A lawyer in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial filed a motion yesterday to reopen the case and recall private investigator P. Balasubramaniam to the stand.
Karpal Singh, who is holding a watching brief for Altantuya’s family and the Mongolian government, is also seeking that four people mentioned in Balasubramaniam’s statutory declaration, which was filed earlier this month, be summoned to court to give evidence.
They are Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, deputy superintendent of police Musa Safri, lawyer Dhiren Rene Norendra and a police officer identified only as deputy superintendent of police Idris.
In Balasubramaniam’s first statutory declaration filed on July 1, the former policeman linked Najib to Altantuya.
Three days later, in a complete turnaround, Balasubramaniam filed another declaration retracting the earlier sworn document.
The whereabouts of Balasubramaniam and his family are not known, although the police subsequently confirmed having recorded a statement from him overseas.
Karpal’s application will be heard tomorrow before the submissions at the end of the prosecution’s stage.
Yesterday, Karpal said under the Criminal Procedure Code, the court can recall Balasubramaniam to be re-examined on his two contradictory declarations.
“He made significant depositions in his declarations and named several individuals. We want them to give evidence.”
Karpal said Balasubramaniam, in retracting his statutory declaration, also had retracted whatever he said in court.
“In the interests of justice and to secure a just decision in the case, it is imperative that the court stay further proceedings pending the outcome of these investigations and recall these witnesses.
“Until the two declarations are investigated, the court should not go on with the trial.”
Karpal also said that he had not filed the motion earlier as he did not know what the turn of events would be.
The prosecution in the trial closed its case on June 23 and submissions were fixed for tomorrow.
Balasubramaniam was one of the key prosecution witnesses who gave evidence during the trial, which began in June last year.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 32, and Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, both Special Action Squad members, are charged with murdering Altantuya at Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor, between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am the following day.
Abdul Razak Baginda, 47, a political analyst, is charged with abetting them.
Article source:
