No one seems to be telling the truth..." - Altantuya murder trial

"No one seems to be telling the truth, everyone seems to be lying and contradicting each other."

This was the blanket outburst from defence counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin for second accused Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar, as the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial was thrown into a pool of contradictions today. His statement was in obvious reference to the testimonies of Chief Insp Koh Fei Cheow and ASP Zulkarnain Samsudin.

To this, DPP Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah retorted: "Be fair, Kamarul! If all the witnesses are liars, then the accused are liars too."

He was obviously referring to first accused Chief Insp Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar who had testified too during the trial.

Kamarul then responded saying: "If that’s the case, then there is nothing to stand on."

Judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin then told Tun Abdul Majid: "You have your turn later."

Kamaral’s key point during Friday's submission for a trial-within-a-trial to determine if a disclosure by Sirul Azhar should be adduced as evidence revolved around the question of whether the latter had uttered the words: "I’ve kept the items in my jacket" and "these are the items".

According to the police, Sirul Azhar had said this as he removed a black jacket from a closet in his room at his apartment in Gugusan Semarak, Kota Damasara.

Police said a pair of earrings, a ring and a Larmes watch belonging to Altantuya were found in the jacket.

Kamarul said when a careful look at the police report filed by Zulkarnain showed that it it did not describe the items of jewellery as having been found in the jacket.

"The inference is obvious, when the report was filled up, the police had not decided where the items should be said to have been found," he said.

Kamarul also brought up the circumstances in which second accused Sirul Azhar was made to pose with the black jacket from his cupboard containing the pair of earrings, a ring and a Larmes watch, and the sequence of events and contradictory statements that shows that the latter was probably made to pose with the items.

These were statements pertaining to the disclosure of the items from ASP Zulkarnain Samsudin, Chief Insp Koh Fei Cheow and Cpl Chiam Swee Guan:

Zulkarnain: Sirul took out the jacket from the closet himself and then said "Saya simpan barang kemas di dalam jacket" (I kept the jewellery in the jacket).

Koh: Zulkarnain took out the black jacket (from the closet) and placed it on the bed.

Chiam: Sirul Azhar opened the closet and took out a black jacket saying "barang kemas saya simpan dalam jacket" (The jewellery, I’ve kept in the jacket.)

On the picture Sirul Azhar was allegedly made to pose for:

Zulkarnain: Photographer L/Cpl Kamarolzaman captured a shot of this (Sirul taking out the jacket from the closet).

Koh: Only Zulkarnain, Cpl Chiam Swee Guan and I entered the room with Sirul Azhar. (Kamarolzaman not included).

Chiam: As soon as we entered the house, Sirul Azhar headed to the closet, opened the door and removed a black jacket and said "the jewellery, I’ve kept in the jacket".

"This proves clearly that the occasion which Zulkarnain alleged Sirul Azhar made the statement was not even there," said Kamarul asking: "Was the statement ever made? There is more than a reasonable doubt," he said.

Kamarul said according to Chiam, the act of Sirul Azhar walking to and removing the jacket from the closet was a continuous act and that the picture of him pointing to the items did not happen at all. "This proves that the picture was posed and fabricated for the benefit of the police."

Kamarolzaman told the court that the picture of the room door was taken 10 to 15 minutes after he had been in the house. He said Zulkarnain came out (of Sirul Azhar’s room) and ordered him to take pictures after the items were found.

"After this, ASP Zul (Zulkarnain) ordered me to take a picture of Sirul Azhar pointing at the jacket in the cupboard. I only snapped his picture once. After that, I was ordered to take a picture of him pointing to the jewellery which was placed on a black jacket on a bed in the same room," Kamarolzaman said.

"This means that the pictures were taken after the disclosure and we argue that whatever statement made after the discovery of any item is no longer admissible under Section 27 of the Evidence Act," Kamarul said.

Kamarolzaman confirmed during cross examination that he was not in the room during the examination and only entered later, said Kamarul.

"Zulkarnain cannot speak for the cameraman, the cameraman spoke for himself and Zulkarnain cannot contradict that," he said.

"We have always contended that the photos had been orchestrated to create evidence," he added.

Hearing continues on Monday.

Policeman collapses in court, later dies

SHAH ALAMP (July 25, 2008): A policeman who brought an accused to the Shah Alam court for the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial this morning collapsed in the witness room. He died at the National Heart Institute later in the afternoon.

L/Cpl Othman Abd Rahman, 47 apparently had difficulty breathing after climbing the spiral staircase two floors up to the court room.

After delivering the accused to court, he sat in the witness room. His colleagues sensed that he was in physical trauma and attended to him.

Othman collapsed and there was a frenzy in and outside the court as those inside tried to revive him and those outside tried to arrange for transport to get him to hospital. His colleague, L/Cpl Abu Bakar Hussin, performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on him.

Abu Bakar managed to revive Othman, who had at one point stopped breathing.

Othman's colleagues then carried him on a court bench to a police van in front of the courthouse which rushed him to hospital. The ambulance only arrived 15 minutes later.

Othman died at the NHI at 1.15pm.

For more Malaysian News CLICK HERE

Adsense Tips, Funny,MakeMoneyTips,CelebNews

Anwar: I just want to move on

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said when he takes over as prime minister of the country, all he wants to do is to forgive and forget the past, and to move on and be an effective leader of the country.

There will not be any witch-hunting as he had already indicated to those who had a hand in his downfall 10 years ago - from a high position in the government to the lowest position as a prisoner - that they would not be victimised.

“I am a human being, I have a family, I have six children, I have suffered, I am tired of all the intrigues, I want to forgive and I want to move on,” he told theSun in an interview in the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) headquarters today.

Anwar said it was unfortunate that the sodomy allegation had emerged just as he was on the threshold of taking over power in the country, just as it had happened when he was deputy prime minister.

Those who are behind this allegation and who are conspiring to prevent him from taking over the leadership of the country are aware of the number of MPs who are crossing over and the ministers he is talking with and so they had to act.

The PKR de facto leader alleged that IGP Tan Sri Musa Hassan and Attorney General Tan Sri Gani Patail were behind what happened to him 10 years ago and he saw a similar pattern in the new allegation.

“I told everyone after I was freed that I wanted to be left alone and I wanted all this nonsense to stop, but it was unfortunate that they continued unabated and with impunity, and I find this very shocking,” he said.

He said he has received messages from his friends the world over, including former Philippines President Cory Aquino, expressing shock over this new allegation.

Anwar deplored the various statements made about him by several Umno ministers, one of whom accused him of being an American agent.

“They portray themselves to be good Muslims yet they live with these lies and corruption. How can they in all honesty do these things, and still call themselves good Muslims,” he said.

Anwar alleged that the conspiracy against him involves people in high places in the government and named Musa, Gani and Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah.

He said he had evidence to show that Saiful Bukhari Azlan, the man he was alleged to have sodomised, was planted by these people as one of the volunteers working for him before the March 8 general election.

“I have also evidence of his direct communications with Musa while he was serving me. And I now know that it was through him that the conspirators knew about the four MPs and the announcement I was to make on Tuesday about my candidature in an upcoming by-election,” he said.

Anwar does not believe that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was involved in this conspiracy but his inaction to prevent it from being carried out reflected badly on him.

Others in his family are not sure about the prime minister anymore.

When his wife Datin Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and daughter Nurul Izzah came back from their meeting with Abdullah on Tuesday, they said they were touched by his expressions of concern and assurances.

But then, they were completely surprised by his statement expressing full confidence in the police force under Musa and in Gani Patail, which they found to be conflicting with what he had told them earlier.

These are some excerpts of the interview:

Q: For them to resort to this allegation it means they think you are very much on the threshold of assuming power, that you have the numbers. They were desperate and therefore they had to take desperate measures. Is that how you see it?
A: Yes. Although public statements they did not say so. I mean, what do you expect them to say? They know. The police monitors very closely. They know who I met, the ministers I met, the MPs I met and what was said.

Q:Why do you feel that there are attempts to assassinate you all of a sudden?
A: I said that because I was cautioned by a number of people. And I have actually made reference to that some time ago as we came closer to the general election. I had been forewarned a number of times to the extent that some people even gave me their bullet-proof vest but I never wore them. More so after March 8, because there’s a lot at stake. So that’s it.

Q: Did you have any sense or an inkling that this trouble was brewing before the allegation came up?
A: Yes, I was told that something along what happened was cooking. In fact, it was told to me five days before the allegation was made. I told my staff, including volunteers, including Saiful. And I am aware that he communicated to Musa.

For more Malaysian News CLICK HERE

Adsense Tips, Funny,MakeMoneyTips,CelebNews