Norhayati Ariffin told the High Court that the police, religious officers (attached to the Perlis mufti department) and mufti Asri Zainul Abidin came to their house on Oct 21, 2015.

She said 10 vehicles from the police and religious department “surrounded” her house that day, and that it scared her.

“I heard one of the police officers screaming at my daughter (Mardhiah) from outside, telling her to get her father (Amri) to come out.

“My husband was not at home,” Norhayati added.

She was testifying in her lawsuit against the police and government over the conduct of the authorities’ investigations into Amri’s disappearance.

Her claims against the defendants include breach of law, breach of statutory duties, misfeasance in public office and negligence of duty of care, and breach of standard care.

Norhayati told the court she was reluctant to let the officers in initially but her brother, Norhafizal, who had come to the house that day, let them in.

She said the religious department officers took photos of the “raid” and posted them on their Facebook page.

“I did not give them consent to do it (take pictures inside her house),” she said.

Senior federal counsel Zetty Zurina Kamaruddin – appearing for the police – asked Norhayati why she had described the police and religious department officers’ presence as a “raid”.

Zetty: I put it to you that it was only your perception that their presence was a “raid”.

Norhayati: I disagree.

Zetty: Were they (the police) armed with weapons when they came to your house?

Norhayati: No.

Zetty also asked Norhayati about the photos taken on that day.

“These photos were tendered during the Suhakam inquiry, which showed that police officers (Wan Nasiruddin Pa’Wan Teh and Noor Mushar) came in a peaceful manner, do you agree?” she asked.

Norhayati answered in the affirmative.

However, she disagreed that she had allowed the police and religious officers into her house.

Norhayati told the court that a day after the raid, Amri and Norhafizal met Asri at the Perlis mufti’s office though she was not there herself.

“Amri told me that Asri had said if he (Amri) wanted to observe Shia’s teachings, he must do it alone,” she added.

The hearing continues before Justice Su Tiang Joo on Thursday.

Amri left his home in Kangar at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016. His car was found at a construction site at the Bukit Cabang Sports School early the next morning.

Suhakam held a public inquiry into Amri’s disappearance between 2017 and 2019.

In 2021, the inquiry concluded that Amri was a victim of an enforced disappearance carried out by the state, specifically by the police’s Special Branch.