Suhakam halts inquiry on missing pastor following police request

16th Jan 2018

The chairman of the inquiry panel, Datuk Mah Weng Kwai, confirmed the suspension when contacted by Malay Mail, citing a letter they received from the IGP yesterday.

“I think the office received it at 3pm, and in that letter, we were informed that a person has been charged yesterday morning at the Petaling Jaya Magistrates Court under Section 365 of the Penal Code for abduction,” he said.

Mah said that the proceeding was halted until further notice, as stipulated under Section 12 (3) of the Human Rights Commission Act.

Section 12 (3) states that the Commission shall cease an inquiry once the matter becomes an active court case.

However, Mah said that the inquiry into other missing people — social activist Amri Che Mat, Pastor Joshua Hilmi and his wife, Ruth Sitepu — will continue as scheduled.

In March last year, Lam Chang Nam, a 31-year-old part-time Uber driver, was charged with demanding RM30,000 from Koh’s son, Jonathan, at Paradigm Mall at 9.46pm on March 6 in order to secure the pastor’s release.

Koh was abducted in February 2017, in broad daylight on a public road in Petaling Jaya, with his kidnapping captured by surveillance cameras.

Link found here: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/suhakam-halts-inquiry-missing-pastor-following-police-request-082200058.html