Beng Hock's family want perpetrators, mastermind brought to justice

The family of the late DAP aide Teoh Beng Hock has demanded that the perpetrators and the mastermind behind his death be brought to justice.

At a press conference today, Beng Hock’s youngest sister Lee Lan said that reopening the case is merely the first step to discover the truth.

"More importantly, we want the perpetrators to be brought justice. We want to find out (who was) the mastermind behind the politically motivated investigation and arrest.

"I called my mother and told her that the prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad agreed to reopen the case, she said she wanted the mastermind behind the case to be arrested and prosecuted.

"Someone has to be responsible for the death following the decision of the Court of Appeal," she said.

Lee Lan said this at a press conference held by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng, at which he announced that the cabinet had agreed to reopen the case.

The five MACC officers who were in charge of probing Beng Hock, Lee Lan added, should be probed under Section 304 of Penal Code for culpable homicide.

She named the five officers at the press conference: then-Selangor MACC deputy chief Hishamuddin Hashim, state MACC investigations chief Hairul Ilham Hamzah, investigating officer Mohd Anuar Ismail, interrogation officer Mohd Ashraf Mohd Yunus, and Klang MACC assistant enforcement officer Zulkefly Aziz.

In 2011, the Bar Council had called for the five officers to be investigated for culpable homicide.

Beng Hock was found dead after falling nine floors from MACC's former Selangor headquarters on July 16, 2009, where he was being held overnight for interrogation.

In 2014, the Court of Appeal had overturned the coroner's open verdict, ruling instead that Beng Hock died as a result of a fall that could have been accelerated by unlawful actions of persons unknown, including by MACC officers.

Lee Lan also noted that institutional reforms are necessary so tragedies like her brother’s death would not reoccur in the future.

"This includes amending the Section 30 of MACC Act to limit the interrogation time and protect the rights of detainees," she said.

She also demanded that an Anti-Torture Act be formulated, and that all enforcement officers are provided with human rights training. -Mkini