No proof to allegations in letter
(Malaysian Mirror) – There is no proof to support allegations in a so-called mysterious letter that was submitted last Wednesday by lawyer Gobind Singh Deo to the coroner’s court here, the inquest into the death of political aide Teoh Beng Hock heard Monday.
Lawyer Tan Hock Chuan (pic) told the inquest, which entered Day 12, that the police had carried out an investigation into the letter, which had implicated certain people in the death of the political secretary to state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah.
Tan added, however, the police did not find any statements supporting the allegations mentioned in it.
The lawyer, who was appointed by the Government to assist coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas, said this when submitting the report of the police investigations into the letter, which was received by Gobind, who is holding a watching brief for Teoh’s family.
Following the development, the coroner had directed the police to carry out investigations into the claims made in the letter.
Recorded statements from relevant witnesses
On July 15, Teoh, 30, was questioned by the MACC as a witness in its investigation into alleged abuse of constituency funds by certain elected representatives in Selangor.
His body was found the next day on the fifth floor of the Plaza Masalam building here, nine floors below the level where the Selangor office of the MACC is located.
Following a public outcry over the political aide’s death, the Cabinet agreed to the inquest as well as a Royal Commission of Inquiry to look into the interrogation methods of the anti-corruption commission.
Tan told the court that the police recorded statements from relevant witnesses but did not find any evidence that could support the claims made in the letter that was dated Aug 5 2009.
On claims in the letter that the deputy director had his own techniques of questioning witnesses, Tan said: “The police have also investigated this but found no evidence to support the claim.”
DNA samples taken together
Tan also said that the allegation stating the deputy director had given his DNA sample in his own office and not together with other MACC officers in the meeting room was not true and was attested to by Dr Seah Lay Hong, who handled the collection of the samples.
Tan then told the court a second round of DNA samples were again taken On Wednesday from 12 MACC officers, including the deputy director, but none matched the DNA samples found on the back of the coat of the deceased and also on his belt on the day he was found dead.
Gobind (pic) argued that the explanations on the findings of the investigations should have been done by the investigating officer and not by Tan.
The coroner said he will rule later whether the letter should be marked as exhibit, given there is evidence that it is relevant to inquest.
Sixteenth witness saw Teoh's bag
The inquest recalled sixteenth witness, Mohd Anuar Ismail, an investigating officer from the MACC to take the stand
Mohd Annuar told the court that about 9am on July 16, he saw a bag belonging to Teoh next to a sofa, adjacent to the room of another investigating officer who had recorded Teoh's statement at about 2am that day.
Replying to a question by Tan, Mohd Annuar said that, to his knowledge, there was no violence or threat used against Teoh during the interrogation.
The inquest adjourns to 9am Tuesday.
