118 1 0 122 Koh abduction like police ops, but it’s not, says state CID chief
23rd Nov 2017
KUALA LUMPUR: A senior police officer agrees that the modus operandi of the abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh was similar to a police operation but denies the police had anything to do with it.
Selangor criminal investigation department (CID) chief SAC Fadzil Ahmat said police operations are organised and could be similar to the video obtained of Pastor Koh’s abduction.
“It’s the same as a police operation. Technically speaking, it’s a similar operational pattern,” he said on day 11 of the public inquiry carried out by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) into Koh’s disappearance.
He said to carry out such an operation would require extensive training.
“Many enforcement agencies use the same sort of operations, like the army, police and other enforcement agencies. They have to make a tactical arrest, so they have to be organised like this.”
When asked by the Koh family’s lawyer Jerald Gomez if the Special Actions Unit (UTK) was one of those agencies mentioned, Fadzil said “he didn’t know but UTK was one of the units able to carry out such an operation”.
“I’m not sure about the Special Branch but I know they differ from the UTK.”
Fadzil admitted that the police did wear the balaclava (black clothing with face masks) during some of their operations.
“They have many different clothing. All police officers must wear insignia or badges, if they don’t they could have just taken it off.
“They must also introduce themselves as police officers.”
He said the police would look at many factors when they carried out such operations.
“There could be a case involving arresting one person or more than one and we might have to also seize items.
“You have to think of factors based on knowledge and experience.”
Fadzil was later asked if there was a possibility that Koh’s abduction was carried out by a unit of the police force that he was not aware of.
“Definitely not,” he replied, before dismissing the possibility that it could have been a unit from special branch or a group linked to rogue elements within the police force.
When asked if Bukit Aman was overseeing the Koh abduction case, Fadzil said: “yes, and I sometimes had to take directions from Bukit Aman deputy CID director Huzir Mohamed.”
The public inquiry into Koh’s abduction is chaired by Suhakam commissioner and former Court of Appeal judge Mah Weng Kwai. Also in the panel are Suhakam commissioners Prof Dr Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Salleh.
The inquiry will consider, among other things, whether the cases of Koh, activist Amri Che Mat, and Pastor Joshua Hilmy and wife Ruth, were cases of enforced or involuntary disappearance, as defined under the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.
Koh, 63, was abducted from his car by a group of more than 10 men in a convoy of vehicles on Feb 13.
CCTV footage showed at least three black SUVs were involved in the abduction. Many speculated that his abduction might have been connected to his alleged attempts to spread Christianity, although his family has dismissed such claims.
Amri, 44, who co-founded charity organisation Perlis Hope, has been missing since Nov 24 last year.
His wife, Norhayati Ariffin, said witnesses saw five vehicles blocking the path of Amri’s car before he was whisked away, just 550 metres from their home in Bukit Chabang, Perlis.
Joshua and his wife, Ruth, meanwhile, were last seen on Nov 30 last year. A police report was lodged in Klang but the case was referred to the Petaling Jaya police as the complainant said the missing persons lived in Kampung Tunku.
Find link to article here: http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2017/11/23/koh-abduction-like-police-ops-but-its-not-says-state-cid-chief/