In a statement, Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (Intelligence) deputy director Mohd Roze Shaari said 15 witnesses have been called so far in connection with a statutory declaration (SD) by former policeman Azilah Hadri, who has been convicted of killing Altantuya Shaariibuu.
“To complete our investigations, other witnesses will be called soon before the review of Azilah’s death sentence on April 20, at the Shah Alam High Court,” Roze said.
Azilah, a former chief inspector, had dropped a bombshell when he filed a 17-page statutory declaration claiming that he had killed Altantuya on the orders of Najib, who was the deputy prime minister at that time.
He made the claim in his statutory declaration to review his conviction by the Federal Court in 2015. Azilah was convicted of murdering Altantuya together with his colleague Sirul Azhar Umar.
He is seeking to have his conviction set aside and a fresh trial held.
He also claimed that Altantuya’s former lover Abdul Razak Baginda and senior police officer Musa Safri were aware of the “instructions” from Najib.
Najib and Razak Baginda, who was acquitted of Altantuya’s murder, have rubbished the claims.
Meanwhile, Roze also said his department had identified 12 witnesses linked to an audio recording between Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor.
Among them are Rosmah, Umno Baling MP Abdul Azeez Rahim, Najib’s former private secretary Shukry Mohd Salleh, and Najib’s former special officer Amhari Effendi Nazaruddin.
“They will be called soon,” he said, referring to the audio recordings released by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) allegedly featuring Najib and several officials over dealings linked to 1MDB and SRC International.
Roze also touched on the circulation of fake news about the 2019 new coronavirus.
He said as of now, 22 investigation papers had been initiated by police nationwide. Out of these, two cases have been charged at court while three others are being handled at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court and one at the Kuala Terengganu Magistrate’s Court.
The cases are being filed under Penal Code 504 (b) which carries a two-year jail sentence or fine or both for causing fear among the public.
Recently, journalist Wan Noor Hayati Alias, was accused of knowingly making statements on the novel coronavirus on her Facebook account that could disrupt public peace. She claimed trial at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court.
Roze urged the public to stop speculating on the ongoing probe and not to upload or share information which might cause disharmony among the public.