Beng Hock probe - police only following orders, says DIGP

Police said today they are just following orders from the Attorney-General's Chambers on re-investigating Teoh Beng Hock's death under Section 432 of the Penal Code, which deals with wrongful confinement.

Asked to comment on the reclassification of the police investigation, Deputy Inspector-General of Police Mazlan Mansor said police couldn't comment further as to why the re-investigation was not being carried out under Section 304, which covers culpable homicide.

"I can't comment on what the prosecutor's side has decided. We are conducting our investigation based on what has been decided by them," Mazlan told the media in Kuala Lumpur.

Yesterday, Teoh Beng Hock Trust For Democracy chairperson Ng Geok Chee revealed that police have reopened their investigation into the political aide's death under Section 342. A new probe into Teoh's controversial death was one of Pakatan Harapan's pledges in its GE14 manifesto.

Ng had said a probe under Section 432 would go against the findings of the Court of Appeal in 2014, which ruled that one or more unknown persons, including MACC officers, had caused the death of Teoh when he was in their custody.

"This is in stark contrast to the recommendations of the Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy and Malaysian Bar that the MACC officers involved should be prosecuted under Section 304 (of the Penal Code) for culpable homicide and that upon conviction, the perpetrators will serve a jail term of up to 30 years and a fine.

"The police should investigate whether the MACC officers caused the death of Teoh, rather than avoid it and only investigate the procedural responsibility of the MACC officers," Ng said.

According to her, the group learned about the reclassification of the investigation after police summoned Beng Hock's sister, Lee Lan, last week to begin the fresh probe under Section 342.

In the joint statement with Ng, Lee Lan had stressed that according to the Court of Appeal judgment on Sept 5, 2014, Beng Hock's death was obviously a murder case.

Teoh was found dead on July 16, 2009, after falling nine floors from MACC's former Selangor headquarters in Shah Alam, where he had been held overnight for questioning.

He was a former political aide to DAP Seri Kembangan assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah. - Mkini