Tei’s lawyer questions police move to record his statement

The lawyer for businessman Albert Tei claims that the police acted improperly and contrary to the law by summoning him to give a statement.

Mahajoth Singh (right) with Rajesh Nagarajan at the Sepang police headquarters.

SEPANG:

 The lawyer representing controversial businessman Albert Tei has slammed the police for summoning him to give a statement, describing the move as improper and a breach of solicitor-client privilege.

Mahajoth Singh said he was quite shocked at how the matter was handled when he turned up at the Sepang police headquarters today.

“It is only natural for someone asked to give a statement to ask why they were there,” he told reporters after the statement was recorded.

Mahajoth said that after repeatedly asking why he had been summoned, he was put on a phone call with the investigating officer, whom he identified as ASP Mahafiz, while still at the police station.

“When I asked him the purpose of calling me in, he gave me some answers, which frankly didn’t make any sense, and then he cut the call,” he said.

Later, another police officer recorded his statement.

Mahajoth was summoned in connection with a police report lodged by Tei’s wife over alleged unlawful and excessive conduct by Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officers during a raid on their home on Nov 28.

The police summons came amid another attempt by MACC to question Tei’s lawyers, a move criticised by the Malaysian Bar and legal groups as a violation of legal professional privilege. The anti-graft agency had insisted that the action was lawful under the MACC Act 2009.

Another lawyer, Rajesh Nagarajan, who also addressed the press, said the police’s move to summon Mahajoth under Section 111 of the Criminal Procedure Code was unacceptable.

He claimed that the move violated Section 126 of the Evidence Act, which protects communications between a solicitor and a client.

“The police are asking my client to give a statement, and basically they’re asking him to breach privilege. What is wrong with the police? How can you call a lawyer to give a statement? This has to stop,” he said.

Rajesh further argued that no lawyer would breach confidentiality and urged the authorities to immediately stop the practice of summoning lawyers in matters involving their clients. - FMT