IGP denies key witness in Amri Che Mat disappearance was a cop

The former Special Branch contract worker said to be a key witness in the disappearance of social activist Amri Che Mat (above) is not a cop.

Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said this when the media asked him if the police would investigate or issue an arrest warrant against the individual so that he cooperates with police in their investigations.

"He is not a cop. He was a civil servant working with the police and he has resigned from his job," said Fuzi during a media conference at the Police Training Centre.

Earlier, Fuzi witnessed a duty hand-over ceremony between the outgoing Federal Narcotics Investigation Department Director Commissioner Mohamad Salleh and the incoming acting Director Deputy Commissioner Kamarul Zaman Mamat.

Answering a reporter's question whether police would issue an arrest warrant against the person, believed to be one Saiful Bahari, Fuzi (below) said: "We had done our investigation and referred it to the deputy public prosecutor (DPP). We'll wait for the DPP's next instruction."

Early this month, a Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) public inquiry concluded that Amri and Pastor Raymond Koh were victims of enforced disappearance.

Amri disappeared in 2016, while Ko disappeared in 2017.

Suhakam's three-member panel unanimously concluded that the perpetrators were members of the Special Branch from Bukit Aman.

The panel accused the police of making a “concerted effort to obscure references and links" to Saiful who persistently declined to testify before the panel.

Saiful’s gold-coloured Toyota Vios was seen parked outside Amri’s house for three consecutive days before his disappearance.

Suhakam commissioner Mah Weng Kwai (above) had noted that there was no sense of urgency in the police investigations and that they had adopted a lackadaisical attitude into the investigation.

Subsequently, on April 6, Fuzi had expressed disappointment with Suhakam's public announcement on its inquiry report.

"Suhakam should not announce the public inquiry report to the people and it should be handed to police, Home Ministry, as well as other relevant authorities,” he had said.

Fuzi, who is scheduled to retire as inspector-general of police next month, was the director of Bukit Aman's Special Branch when the disappearances occurred. - Mkini