Senior federal counsel Nurul Farhana Khalid, representing the government, challenged witness Roeshan Celestine Gomez’s account of the matter during cross-examination today.

At a previous hearing, Gomez had testified that police officer Ali Asra, who recorded his statement on Feb 13, 2017, commented that the “modus operandi” used in the abduction suggested that it was a “police operation”.

The witness said Koh’s abduction took place in less than one minute.

“My instructions from Ali is that he never made such a remark. Do you agree?” Farhana asked Gomez.

Gomez disagreed, insisting that Ali made the remark.

Farhana then informed judicial commissioner Su Tiang Joo that the government intends to call Ali as a witness later in the proceedings.

On Feb 12, 2020, Koh’s wife, Susannah Liew, filed a lawsuit against the police, the inspector-general of police and several former high-ranking police officers over his disappearance.

The list includes former IGPs Khalid Abu Bakar and Fuzi Harun, and former principal assistant director of the Special Branch’s social extremism division, Awaludin Jadid.

The others named in the lawsuit are former Bukit Aman criminal investigation department (CID) chief Huzir Mohamed, former Selangor CID chief Fadzil Ahmat, and police officers Supari Mohamad, Khor Yi Shuen, Hazril Kamis, Shamzaini Daud and Saiful Bahari Abdul Aziz.

Liew is seeking damages over Koh’s disappearance, as well as for the authorities to be held liable for his unlawful abduction, and for misfeasance in public office.

On re-examination by Liew’s legal team, Gomez said Ali had made several phone calls after making the remark.

“I felt relieved,” he told lawyer Jerald Gomez.

“I was alerted to the fact that it was a civilian when I received WhatsApp messages about the abduction, and I became more anxious,” he said.

Su asked Gomez if he knew Koh and Liew before he lodged the police report on Feb 13, 2017.

Gomez said he did not know the couple.

The hearing continues on July 6.