Tearful moments in court as son weeps for missing mother

 

Greg Jenkins laying a wreath for his late mother, Anna, at Batu Gantong, near where her remains were found three years after her disappearance in 2017.

GEORGE TOWN: Australian soldier Greg Jenkins broke down and wept when testifying today at an inquest into the disappearance of his mother Anna five years ago.

Greg, 42, a senior non-commissioned member of the Australian Defence Force, was in tears after he was asked to identify pictures of his mother’s skeletal remains and belongings found on a hill slope near the Turf Club in 2020, three years after she went missing.

Anna, 65, was never seen again after alighting at an ashram midway through an Uber ride to see her mother at a nursing home at Batu Lanchang Lane on December 13, 2017.

Greg testified that “she was a passionate charity worker, helping the homeless, and the refugees. A beautiful soul, she was. When I received the DNA test (matching the remains), it was the worst day of my life. It confirmed we had lost mum.”

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“We’re not trying to fight the system, but we’re trying to help,” he said in between sobs as he was shown pictures of her crucifix, rosary beads and other personal effects by inquest officers. Earlier, he said “we” referred to his sister, Jennifer Bowen, and him.

On Wednesday, construction worker Kew Kee Sing, 32, testified that he stumbled upon Anna’s personal belongings, and claimed Greg had asked for the bones not to be surrendered to the police.

However, Greg denied doing so, saying Kew was afraid to give it up to the police for fear he might lose his job.

He said it was later revealed that Kew had inadvertently found Anna’s tailbone which drew a positive DNA match, confirming the worst had taken place.

In recalling how he found more of his mother’s personal belongings, Greg said Kew had sent him a text message in June 2020 about the location of the site where he found the items.

Greg Jenkins with his lawyers Raveentharan Subramaniam (second from right), Asmeeta Rajendran (second from left) and Nur Adilla Zaharuddin outside the courtroom.

Greg said he alerted the Australian High Commission and the George Town police about the discovery immediately, but the police did not react to Kew’s discovery.

He said he came to Penang on July 29, 2020, and spoke to construction workers at the site where Anna’s remains were found.

Three workers told him that police had been seen leaving the site with human bones in two paper bags on Jan 20, five months before Kew’s discovery of Anna’s remains and belongings.

‘Millions lost by developer if findings reported’

Greg said he later told the police again about the discovery, which led to the police bringing the media to the site for a visit.

He then asked the police if construction on the site would be stopped and a larger area would be dug out to search for more of Anna’s remains. He claimed the police replied in an “aggressive” tone that it was not necessary and that the area had been combed through.

“When they brought me to the site where the remains were found for the first time, I knelt and said a prayer for mum. In two minutes, I found mum’s shoe, her cough lollies (lozenges), a massage appointment card, and a pack of Australian-made chewing gum.

Australian High Commission counsellor and consul-general Stuart Shaw speaking to Greg Jenkins.

“The investigating officer then called a forensics photographer. I had to ask them to wear gloves. They then told me there would be no more search and the coroner would soon take over,” he said.

Greg said Kew had also told him that, upon his first discovery of Anna’s belongings, his supervisor had forbidden him from “talking about it”, as it would cause the entire development to be stalled.

“The site supervisor told Kew that furthermore, it was during the lockdown. Only certain projects were allowed to do work, and if it was stalled, millions would be lost by the developer,” he said.

Greg said he then reached out to the turf club to seek an explanation, who replied they had nothing to do with the site as they had sold the land to Berjaya Group which was pursuing a “Kensington” project there.

He also said a police investigating officer asked him to return to Australia. “He was irritated that the case landed on his lap as he was retiring.”

Greg was questioned by deputy public prosecutors Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim and Farah Aimy Zainul Anwar, and by lawyers Raveentharan Subramaniam and Asmeeta Rajendran, who are holding a watching brief for the family.

The inquest is being conducted by the coroner, Norsalha Hamzah, assisted by Yazid Mustaqim Roslan, Khairul Anuar Abdul Halim and Farah Aimy Zainul Anwar, while Nur Adilla Zaharuddin also appeared for the Jenkins family. - FMT