Altantuya’s dad raises question of cover-up in earlier probe

In his police report, he wants police to question Deputy Supt Musa Safri and Azilah Hadri, one of those convicted of the murder, to find out who was behind the killing.

Altantuya Shaariibuu’s father, Setev Shaariibuu, at the Dang Wangi police station today.

KUALA LUMPUR: The father of murdered Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu today raised the question of a cover-up in the earlier investigations into her murder and the trial of two policemen.

Setev Shaariibuu said he wanted the police to reopen the case and question Deputy Supt Musa Safri whom he named as a key witness in the police report he lodged today.

He also wants the police to question one of the two policemen who were found guilty of her murder – Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar – to find out how and where they obtained the explosives that were reportedly used to blow her to bits.

In the police report, Setev said: “During the said trial, the prosecution led evidence that one DSP Musa Safri had secured the attendance of Azilah and Sirul at Razak’s (Abdul Razak Baginda) house on the night of Oct 19, 2006.

“As such, I believe that if not for Musa, Azilah and Sirul would not have come to Razak’s house that day and taken my daughter away, and she would very likely still be alive today.”

Razak was acquitted of a charge of abetting Azilah and Sirul in the murder of Altantuya in 2006.

In the report, Setev said: “Musa is a very crucial witness as he would be able to provide information as to who instructed him to secure Azilah and Sirul’s said attendance and for what purpose.”

He added: “I believe that my daughter’s body was blown to pieces by the use of explosives and urge the police to properly investigate from where Azilah and Sirul obtained such explosives which I believe can provide clues as to the party or parties who provided them with those explosives and for what purposes.”

Setev said both Azilah and Sirul had claimed they did not know Altantuya before they murdered her and therefore could not have had any possible motive to kill her.

“Sirul claimed to have been a scapegoat in this entire incident and recently implied from Australia that there were others involved in the said murder which he could only have known from Azilah, who I understand is now on death row at the Kajang prison.

“As such, it is very likely that this information can easily be obtained from Azilah at the Kajang prison.

“The above information clearly suggests that there have been other parties who instructed Azilah and Sirul to murder my daughter, in which case I believe those parties must also be guilty of her murder,” he said.

According to Setev, the failure of the prosecution to lead evidence on the motive of his daughter’s murder by calling Musa raised suspicions as to whether there was a cover-up in the case.

“This police report is made based on the findings of the High Court, Court of Appeal and Federal Court in relation to my daughter’s murder,” Setev said in the report.

Lawyer Ramkarpal, who had accompanied Setev to the Dang Wangi police station, told reporters Setev’s statement was expected to be recorded today or tomorrow before he leaves for Mongolia.

Asked on the whereabouts of Musa, Ramkarpal said: “I am not able to divulge that, but we have an idea where he is.” -FMT