Suhakam inquiry summons Special Branch man who claimed cops behind abductions
28th May 2018
A SPECIAL Branch officer who claimed that a police team was involved in the abduction of activist Amri Che Mat has been summoned to testify in the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) inquiry.
The officer has been called to give his testimony after he allegedly told Amri’s wife that a special team from the federal police headquarters was responsible for the disappearance of the activist and Pastor Raymond Koh.
Norhayati Ariffin lodged a police report after receiving the information, and the inquiry was brought forward to hear the testimonies of the duo.
Sheryll Stothard, a liaison for Amri and Koh’s families, today said a letter from Suhakam dated May 24 to the legal firm representing Koh’s family states that the commission has scheduled two witnesses for the hearing concerning Amri.
“The scheduled witnesses listed by Suhakam are Norhayati for the morning of May 30, and Sergeant Shamzaini for the afternoon of May 31,” she told The Malaysian Insight.
“As of today, Suhakam has not informed us of any changes to the schedule.”
Shamzaini is said to be a Special Branch officer attached to the Perlis police headquarters.
He is alleged to have spoken to Norhayati and her daughter at their home in Kangar on May 12, telling them that Amri and Koh’s abductions were carried out on the instructions of a senior officer in Bukit Aman Special Branch’s Social Extremism Division (E2).
Suhakam commissioner Mah Weng Kwai confirmed that it has summoned Norhayati and Shamzaini to appear before the inquiry panel.
Following Norhayati’s police report, Inspector-General of Police (Secretariat) Corporate Communications head Senior Assistant Commissioner Asmawati Ahmad said a thorough investigation will be carried out, and urged all parties to refrain from making speculation that could jeopardise the probe.
Amri, who is also a forex trader, went missing on November 24, 2016, after leaving his home to meet a friend.
He is believed to have been abducted by a group of individuals in four-wheel-drive vehicles that were seen surrounding his car in Kg Padang Behor.
Koh, meanwhile, was abducted on February 13 last year by several men in balaclavas who used black SUVs to block his car in Petaling Jaya.
Suhakam is conducting a public inquiry into the disappearance of Amri, Koh, Pastor Joshua Hilmy and Joshua’s wife, Ruth, to ascertain if they are cases of enforced disappearance. – May 29, 2018.
Link to article found here:
https://www.themalaysianinsight.com/s/50840