Witness: Cops took statement a year after Amri’s disappearance

SUHAKAM INQUIRY | A key eyewitness at the Suhakam inquiry into the disappearance of activist Amri Che Mat (above) revealed today that the police took an official statement from him more than a year after the incident.

This was despite having knowledge that he (the witness) had allegedly been present at the scene as soon as a day after Amri's disappearance.

Syed Amri Syed Abdul Jalil, 24, told the inquiry that police had approached him for information twice after the Nov 25, 2016, incident before recording an official statement from him some 14 months later.

“In January 2018, I received a call from Inspector Khor Yi Shuen and he asked me to come to the Kangar district police station.

“Inspector Khor also recorded my statement at the time […] that was the official statement,” the inquiry heard.

Prior to that, two police officers had approached him a day after the incident for information on what he saw but did not take record his statement.

About a week after the incident, Syed said he met with an “Inspector Syakirin” and told the latter what he saw.

He also took the officer to the location of the incident and walked the latter through what he had seen.

His statement was not taken then as well.

Four-wheel-drives surround car

Syed told the inquiry today that at about midnight on Nov 25, 2016, he was on his motorcycle travelling along Jalan Behor when he observed four vehicles stop in the middle of the road.

Upon closer inspection, he realised three dark-coloured four-wheel drive vehicles had surrounded a car.

Next, he saw a “tall and burly” man dressed in a collared shirt and jeans get down from one of the four-wheel-drive vehicles and walk towards the car before opening the door on the driver’s side.

Syed testified he was unable to make out any faces or the car registration plates of the vehicles involved as it was dark and the street lights were not working.

He said that was the extent of what he saw before leaving the scene.

Today’s inquiry was presided by commissioners Mah Weng Kwai (below, centre) Aishah Bidin and Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleh.

The inquiry will resume tomorrow.

Suhakam is currently investigating whether the disappearances of Amri and two others are “enforced or involuntary,” as defined by the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED).

This is defined as the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the state or by persons, or groups of persons, acting with the authorisation, support or acquiescence of the state.

The instrument was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2006. Malaysia is not a signatory to the ICPPED.

The two other disappearances being investigated are that of pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife Ruth Sitepu.

The commission had previously been investigating pastor Raymond Koh’s disappearance but was forced to suspendproceedings when former Uber driver Lam Chang Nam was charged in court for allegedly abducting Koh. -Mkini