KUALA LUMPUR, Januaru 13 (Bernama) — Following is the chronology of the Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu’s murder case:
2006:- Oct 26: Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri from the Bukit Aman Special Action Unit is arrested in connection with Altantuya’s disappearance.
Nov 6: Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar from the same unit is arrested.
Nov 7: Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda is picked up by police to assist in investigations into the case.
Nov 15: Azilah and Sirul are jointly charged at the Magistrate’s Court in Shah Alam with the murder of Altantuya. They are accused of murdering her at a location between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor, between 10 am on Oct 19 2006 and 1 am the following day.
Nov 16: Razak is charged at the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court with abetting Azilah and Sirul in the murder. He allegedly committed the offence between 9.54 am and 11.05 am on Oct 18, at the 10th floor of Bangunan Getah Asli in Jalan Ampang.
2007:- June 19: The trial of Abdul Razak Baginda and the two policemen for the murder of Altantuya commences.
2008:- Oct 31: The High Court acquits Razak without his defence being called after ruling that the prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case against him. The High Court rules the same day that the prosecution has proved a prima facie case against Azilah and Sirul Azhar and orders them to enter their defence.
Nov 14: Deputy public prosecutor Datuk Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah confirms that the prosecution was not appealing against Abdul Razak’s acquittal.
2009:- Jan 15: Azilah and Sirul Azhar’s defence trial begins. Azilah opted to give sworn evidence.
Feb 4: Sirul Azhar testifies from the dock.
April 9: Azilah and Sirul Azhar are found guilty by the High Court and sentenced to death.
April 10: Azilah files notice of appeal against his conviction and death sentence.
April 13: Sirul Azhar files notice of appeal against his conviction and death sentence.
2013:- June 24: The Court of Appeal hears the duo’s appeal.
Aug 23: The Court of Appeal allows the appeals brought by Azilah and Sirul Azhar and acquit them of the charge. The prosecution files its notice of appeal the same day.
2014:- June 23: The Federal Court hears the prosecution’s appeal. The case is heard for three days.
June 25: The five-member Federal Court panel chaired by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria reserves its decision in the prosecution’s appeal.
2015:- Jan 13: The Federal Court sets aside Azilah and Sirul Azhar’s acquittal and sentence them to death by hanging for the murder of Altantuya. Federal Court Judge Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar delivered the decision.
The Federal Court appeal panel chaired by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria found that the Court of Appeal had erred in its decision.
Other members of the panel were Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum and Federal Court judges, Suriyadi, Tan Sri Abdull Hamid Embong and Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop. Only Azilah was present at the proceeding as Sirul Azhar is currently abroad.
– BERNAMA
