Police urged to probe Teoh Beng Hock's case under more serious offences

 

The Malaysian Bar has disagreed with the police's decision to reopen investigations into the death of Teoh Beng Hock merely under Section 342 of the Penal Code for wrongful confinement.

In a statement this evening, its president Salim Bashir urged the government to probe the case under more serious penal offences based on a verdict of the Court of Appeal in September 2014.

"A three-man panel ruled that Teoh’s death was caused by multiple injuries from a fall from the 14th floor due to or accelerated by unlawful acts by unknown persons, which may include MACC officers who investigated Teoh.

"We hope that based on the Court of Appeal’s decision and recommendations of the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) on Teoh’s death, the AGC (Attorney-General’s Chamber) can consider reclassifying the case and investigating it under more serious penal offences," he said.

In a parliamentary reply, Home Ministry said the police have reopened investigations into the death of Teoh, who was found dead 11 years ago, under Section 342 of the Penal Code.

The ministry informed that the earlier investigation papers had been referred to the AGC on Feb 24 and police were told to continue with the investigations.

“The police were directed to submit the papers to the AGC when investigations are completed.

"Police have recorded statements from 13 witnesses and investigations are ongoing," said the ministry as reported by Bernama.

Teoh was found dead on the fifth floor of the Plaza Masalam building in Shah Alam after he was interviewed by the MACC at its office on the 14th floor of the same building.

Teoh was the then political secretary to Local Government, New Village Development and Legalising of Factories Committee chairperson Ean Yong Hian Wah, who was also Seri Kembangan state assemblyperson.

On Nov 18 last year, the Royal Malaysia Police set up a special investigation team involving Selangor and Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department, to reinvestigate Teoh's death following a directive from the AGC on July 16, 2019, as the case was previously classified as sudden death.

Meanwhile, the bar also called for inquests to be made into all cases involving deaths in custody as well as cases of suspicious deaths.

"The Malaysian Bar had in October 2020 submitted a draft Bill to the AGC on the setting up of an independent coroners’ court.

"Whenever a death in custody occurs, it raises questions and piques the public’s interest, which undoubtedly attracts media attention. Deaths in custody pose a threat to civil society that is governed by the rule of law, therefore, it is essential that such tragedies must be avoided at all costs," said Salim. - Mkini