Altantuya murder: Court of Appeal frees cops

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has overturned the conviction of two officers accused of the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The panel chaired by Justice Mohamed Apandi Ali allowed the appeal of the two for­mer Spe­cial Ac­tion Unit person­nel members, sparing them from the gallows.

The three-person panel which included Justices Linton Albert and Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat ruled that the cumulative effect of the misdirections by the trial judge had rendered the judgement unsafe.

"Thus with this, we acquit and discharge the two appellants," said Justice Tengku Maimun.

The family and supporters of the accused were seen sighing in relief, and uttering thanks when they heard the judgement, while the appellants remained stoic in the dock.

However, the government can still appeal Friday’s decision at the Federal Court. 

In 2009, Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar and C/Insp Azi­lah Hadri were convicted and sentenced to death by the Shah Alam High Court for killing the Mongolian woman at Mukim Bukit Raja, Klang, be­tween 10pm on Oct 19, 2006, and 1am on Oct 20, 2006.

For­mer po­lit­i­cal an­a­lyst Ab­dul Razak Baginda Baginda, who was jointly charged with them, was ac­quit­ted of by the High Court on Oct 31, 2008, after the pros­e­cu­tion failed to es­tab­lish a prima fa­cie case against him.

Deputy Solicitor General II Datuk Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah lead the prosecution, while Kpl Sirul and C/Insp Azilah were represented by Kamarul Hisham and Datuk Hazman Ahmad, respectively.