The Air Force sargeant who faces charges of being involved in the 2007 theft of two jet engines has gone into hiding amidst claims that his former colleagues are trying to get a hold on him before his trial commences on Monday.
According to his lawyer N Surendran, several Air Force personnel - three men and one woman - turned up at the home of Tharmendran's parents in Seremban yesterday asking for Tharmendran (left) to “report to base”.
“The parents, however, said they do not know where their son is after he left their house recently to stay elsewhere,” Surendran toldMalaysiakini.
Tharmendran is out on RM50,000 bail while facing charges of the theft - andabetment to theft - of two fighter jet engines from the Subang Air Force base in December 2007.
Given Tharmendran's allegations that he was tortured by military officials during his three-week detention to force him into confessing, Surendran said the Air Force must be “seriously disturbed and upset” about the revelations he made regarding the ordeal he had gone through.
“Why and what authority does the Air Force have to pick up a civilian?” asked the lawyer.
This is the second attempt, said Surendran (right), by certain parties to get him to return to the Air Force base in what the lawyer alleged was part of efforts “to influence what Tharmendran is going to say in court.”
On Wednesday, the lawyer had claimed that an Air Force official called Tharmendran on the phone demanding his return.
“But as Tharmendran told the Air Force official, his 21 years of service with the Air Force expired on May 28, 2010,” said Surendran.
“The Air Force itself has in effect recognised that his service with them has ended, as they did not pay his June and July wages,” Surendran added.
“I have written to the chief of Air Force, the Defence Ministry, and the chief of the Armed Forces, and emphasised that Tharmendran is now a civilian and that he shouldn't be disturbed by them.”
Their attempts to get a hold of Tharmendran is "tantamount to attempting to kidnap him", said Surendran further, as they have no legal authority over him since his tenure with them expired.
According to the lawyer, Tharmendran will appear in court to fight the charges.
courtesy of Malaysiakini
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