Azilah denies telling Razak Baginda he had killed six men

By Shannon Teoh, The Malaysian Insider

The prosecution's cross-examination today of Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, one of the two cops accused of murdering Altantuya Shhariibuu, brought to light new details of the days leading to her death, including the revelation that the mysterious "Chinese man," who was allegedly an associate of the deceased, was likely someone named "Ho."

Under cross-examination today in the Shah Alam High Court here from Tun Majid Tun Hamzah, the deputy public prosecutor, Azilah also denied ever telling Abdul Razak, who was recently freed from a charge of abetting the murder of Altantuya, who turned out to be his ex-lover, that he had previously killed six men.

Azilah, had testified yesterday that Abdul Razak Baginda, a close associate of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, had told him when they met that a "Chinese man," and a "Chinese woman" believed to be the deceased, had been blackmailing him.

In what has become a politically-charged murder trial which has captured the imagination of the country, Azilah and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, have been charged with the murder of Altantuya.

The case has been particularly damaging for Najib, because of the involvement of Abdul Razak, one of his closest associates, and Musa Safri, his former aide-de-camp who had allegedly instructed Azilah to "help" Abdul Razak out of his predicament with the "Chinese man" and "Chinese woman."

What remained of Altantuya was found in a forest outside Kuala Lumpur over two years ago. Investigators say her body had been strapped with C4 explosives and blown up.

It came to light today that political analyst Abdul Razak had told Azilah that the "Chinese woman" who was blackmailing him was "an old friend" but did not tell the Special Action Unit (UTK) officer the identity of her associate, a "Chinese man" whom the prosecution has named "Ho."

The prosecution also suggested that Azilah knew both the "Chinese man and woman" and had promised and intended to murder them to help Abdul Razak.

Azilah also denied that he had told Abdul Razak he could solve his problem because he had killed six men before, as stated in a sworn affidavit by the political analyst.

He added that Musa, the DPM's aide-de-camp who had asked him to meet with Abdul Razak did not give him any specific instructions on how to help Abdul Razak with his "problem" but that it was up to his discretion.

Abdul Razak had told him when they met in his office that the blackmailing had only begun "recently," Azilah said.

Azilah also testified that Abdul Razak told him he did not know who the "Chinese man" was but said that the "Chinese woman" was an "old friend."

Tun Majid, the DPP, suggested that as it was a serious matter, with lives at stake, that Azilah must have had some idea of how to "advice criminals not to do bad."

Azilah had insisted that he could only speak to them diplomatically and would need a friend to help him although eventually, if they did not listen to him, he could not do anything about it.

Azilah admitted he was curious as to why Abdul Razak was reluctant to lodge a police report but had instead had asked him to "advice" the "Chinese man" and "Chinese woman" not to "disturb" Abdul Razak.

Abdul Razak had given him a piece of paper stating that the Chinese woman was staying in Room 823 in Hotel Malaya and also her phone number.

On the document, the names "Amina" and "Ho" were also written, but Azilah denied knowing if they referred to the "Chinese woman" and "Chinese man" as he did not notice Razak writing the names nor had he told Azilah that those were their names.

Despite this he had still gone to Hotel Malaya with Sirul and planned to speak to the "Chinese man" or "Chinese woman" by referring to them as "brother" or "sister."

As he was leaving Abdul Razak's office, Abdul Razak had been speaking on his phone and told Azilah that he had just found out that the "Chinese woman" was staying in Room 512 instead of in the room listed in the piece of paper given to him.

However, when Azilah and Sirul got to Room 512, they did not knock on the door because they were afraid of getting the wrong room and disturbing the guests' privacy. Azilah testified.

It did not cross his mind, Azilah said, to call the "Chinese woman" first on her mobile phone before going to her hotel despite not being sure which room she was staying in.

Tun Majid then suggested to Azilah that "you did not want to advice her at Hotel Malaya. It was not your purpose from the start but you and Sirul intended to get rid, kill and eliminate the Chinese woman."

Azilah denied this and a further suggestion that he was merely "looking for the right place and the right time."

Azilah also told the court that he did not know "Bala," a private investigator Abdul Razak had hired.

The cross-examination continues on Monday.