Give witness legal immunity, urge families of missing pastor, activist
12th Jun 2018
THE families of missing Pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat are calling on the government to provide legal immunity for a Special Branch officer so that he can divulge information in Suhakam’s public inquiry into the duo’s disappearance.
In an open letter to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, and Amri’s wife, Norhayati Ariffin, appealed to the government and Attorney-General’s Chambers to provide a safe space for whistleblowers to come forward.
“We want to know who took them, where they are now and who were involved in this high-level conspiracy of silence.
“We also include Sergeant Shamzaini (Mohd Daud) in this request for immunity, especially since his confession that night may well have exposed him to efforts to pressure him into silence, or to retract his confession, as he seems to have done in the unsigned police report submitted by police at the Suhakam inquiry on May 30,” read the letter.
Shamzaini has been summoned to the inquiry following claims by Norhayati that he had told her that Bukit Aman was involved in Amri and Koh’s disappearance.
Last week, the inquiry took a twist when Sentul police chief R. Munusamy showed Norhayati a police report lodged by Shamzaini denying her allegations.
The inquiry also heard the testimony of Norhayati’s daughter, Nur Amira Amri, 18, who backed her mother’s claims.
She told the panel she was with her mother when Shamzaini relayed the information on Bukit Aman’s role in the abduction.
The inquiry was also told that former inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar had knowledge of the operation to take Amri and Koh.
Norhayati had also alleged that his superiors, Razman Ramli and Perlis police chief Ab Rashid, knew about Bukit Aman’s involvement.
Liew and Norhayati have urged the Pakatan Harapan government to investigate the case as those implicated include high-ranking police officers.
“Please help us find out what happened to our husbands, who took them and where they are now. We want them back with us. We beg for justice. We plead for the truth.”
Amri, a social activist and forex trader in Perlis, is believed to have been abducted on November 24, 2016, while on the way to meet a friend.
His car was seen surrounded by 4WD vehicles in Kampung Padang Behor before he was taken.
Koh was abducted in Petaling Jaya on February 13 last year by 15 men in three black SUVs.
Suhakam is conducting a public inquiry into their disappearances of Amri, Koh, as well as Joshua and Ruth Hilmy, to determine if they enforced disappearances were sanctioned by the state. – June 12, 2018.
Link to articles found here:
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/54211/