Teoh Seen In Cctv Recording On Morning Before His Death

(Bernama) — The closed- circuit television (CCTV) camera recording at Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam shows political aide Teoh Beng Hock's movements at the lobby in the early hours of July 16 before he was found dead in the building that afternoon.

Lawyer Tan Hock Chuan who is assisting coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas in conducting the inquest, said that Teoh was also seen by a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission officer at about 6.10am on July 16.

The CCTV recording shows Teoh's movements at the lobby around midnight until 4am that day.

Teoh, 30, the political aide to Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 on the 5th floor corridor of the plaza after giving a statement to the Selangor MACC (Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission) located on the 14th floor, as a witness in the case of alleged misuse of state allocations.

Earlier, a security guard at the building, Abdul Rahman Rahim, 51, when showed 10 photo prints from the CCTV recording, confirmed they were of Selangor MACC officers.

Among them who appeared in the recording was an officer known as Ashraf, an officer who had interviewed Teoh on that day, and a senior officer. One of the officers had seen Teoh still alive that early morning.

The recording taken was from 8am on July 15 to 8am the following day.

Abdul Rahman said before the incident, he had never seen Selangor MACC senior officers there that early (between 4am and 8am).

Asked by Tan whether he saw or heard anyone falling from the building between 4am and 8am on July 16, Abdul Rahman said he did not.

Abdul Rahman's colleague Wan Rosli Wan Adam, 38, who was shown 10 different photo prints, said he knew that some of the men in the photos were working with the MACC, but he only recognised them by their faces and did not know their names.

Tan then told the court that among them were the recording officer, an officer who had interviewed Teoh and the chief investigative operations officer.

Wan Rosli also testified that between midnight and 1am on July 16 at the lobby, he saw four MACC officers with a Chinese man and between 1am and 2am came someone from the National Registration Department.

Abdul Rahman and Wan Rosli admitted that they did not record the entry and exit of individuals at the plaza as they recognised them and were aware that the MACC officers could be on duty round the clock.

Then, lawyer Gobind Singh Deo who is representing Teoh's family at the inquest, questioned why there was no so such recording although it was important. To this, Abdul Rahman said it was not necessary as only the MACC people worked until late.

Besides Tan, the inquest today was also assisted by deputy public prosecutor Abazafree Mohd Abbas, lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar representing the Selangor government, and a few lawyers from the Malaysian Bar Council.

The inquest continues tomorrow.