The Shah Alam High Court today acquitted political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda of abetting the alleged murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Justice Mohd Zaki Md Yasin ruled that the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case against Abdul Razak.
The court however ordered Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 32 and Corporal Sirul Azha Umar, 37, who are members of the Special Action Force (UTK), to enter their defence to the charge of murder.
Both decided to testify under oath. They will be taking the stand on Nov 10.
The prosecution is expected to file an appeal against Abdul Razak's acquittal.
Altantuya was allegedly shot before her body was blown up with explosives two years ago.
Azilah and Sirul are jointly charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, at a location between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor between 10am on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the following day.
Abdul Razak Baginda, 47, was charged with abetting them. He is a known confidante of Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, having worked on government arms procurement projects while the latter was defence minister.
The prosecution closed its case against the trio on June 23 after 151 days of testimony from 84 witnesses.
Refusing to address the journalists who cornered him, Abdul Razak merely said: "I just want to go home" - malaysiakini.com
I will not comment on it, as I'm sure what I am going to say is already being thought in many's minds. Indeed, in the end ' RB will face a tentative charge but all is not lost'.
The Star reports:
SHAH ALAM: Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda was acquitted Friday of the murder abetment charge in the murder case of Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu.
The judge ruled that the prosecution failed to prove a prima facie case against him.
C/Insp Azilah Hadri and Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar, members of the Special Action Squad (UTK), were ordered by to enter their defence against the murder charge.
Both of them chose to testify under oath.
Azilah and Sirul Azhar were charged with murdering Altantuya at Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor, between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the following day.
Abdul Razak was charged with abetting them in the murder of the beautiful 28-year-old translator.
He was seen leaving the court at 10.10am with his wife and daughter. He did not give a press conference outside the court building.
"I just want to go home," said Abdul Razak briefly to the press.
Azilah and Sirul Azhar were led out of the court building in handcuffs by police officers at 10.40am. They both had their faces covered. Azilah's fiancee refused to give any comments to the press.
It has been slightly over five weeks since the prosecution closed its case and the court is expected to decide on the fate of all three accused today.
The trial had gone on for 151 days from November 2006, during which 84 prosecution witnesses testified.
Malaysian Insider reports:
SHAH ALAM, Oct 31 —Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda was today acquitted by the High Court here of abetting in the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 32, and Corporal Sirul Azha Umar, 37, who are members of the police Special Action Force (UTK), were, however, ordered to enter their defence to the charge of murder.
The prosecution is expected to file an appeal against Razak's acquittal.
Altantuya was allegedly shot before her body was blown up with explosives two years ago.
Azilah and Sirul are jointly charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, at a location in Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor between 10am on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the following day.
Razak, 47, was charged with abetting them. He is a close associate of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, and was known to have worked on government weapons procurement projects while Najib was Defence Minister.
The prosecution closed its case against the trio on June 23 after 151 days of testimony from 84 witnesses.
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