SUHAKAM INQUIRY | Perlis special branch officer Mohd Shamzaini Mohd Daud today said he was willing to swear upon the Quran denying that he said police were responsible for the disappearance of activist Amri Che Mat (above).
Amri’s wife Norhayati Ariffin had previously claimed that he had informed her of this when they met at her home on the night of May 12.
Today, Shamzaini stood by his counterclaim that he had only approached her to inquire about renting a shop lot she owned and was initially oblivious that she was Amri’s wife.
He also maintained that Norhayati had raised her voice when he refused to offer information about her husband’s disappearance.
“The situation that night was that Norhayati was pressuring me (for information). I did not give her a single piece of information.
“I will swear upon the Quran,” Shamzaini said while showing the inquiry panel the Quran he had brought along in his bag.
Amri’s family lawyers swiftly objected and inquiry chief Mah Weng Kwai agreed with them.
“We are not getting him to swear on the Quran. He already swore (an oath of truth) this morning,” said Mah (below).
According to Norhayati, Shamzaini had told her that Amri had been taken by the same team of Bukit Aman police officers that had taken pastor Raymond Koh who disappeared on Feb 13 last year.
She claimed that Shamzaini had come forth following the change of government after the May 9 general election as he supposedly did not want to be an accessory to the alleged abduction.
On May 16, four days after their meet, Norhayati lodged a police report detailing the new evidence she had received about Amri’s disappearance.
No immediate report despite threats
Aside from pressuring him for information, Shamzaini alleged in his witness statement that Norhayati had levelled threats against him, his special branch colleagues and even his family in her tirade on the night they met.
Today, lawyer Jerald Gomez questioned why Shamzaini, as a police officer, had not immediately reported the threats.
“I thought she was just being emotional that night. I thought this thing could be ‘settled’,” he answered.
On May 18, Shamzaini eventually lodged a separate police report denying Norhayati’s version of events.
Gomez questioned his delayed action and asked if he had been pressured to do so.
Shamzaini denied being coerced but admitted he had met with his superiors on May 17, a day before lodging his report. He also said he had received “advice” at the meeting.
Amri disappeared on the night of Nov 24, 2016.
Suhakam is investigating if his disappearance, as well as that of two others, were “enforced or involuntary” as defined by the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED), adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2006.
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.
Malaysia is not a signatory of the ICPPED.
Aside from Mah, today’s proceedings were presided over by Suhakam commissioners Aishah Bidin and Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleh.
The inquiry will resume on Aug 5. - Mkini
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