Transmenu powered by JoomlArt.com - Mambo Joomla Professional Templates Club

©Bernama (Used by permission)

SHAH ALAM, May 15 (Bernama) -- Investigating Officer ASP Tonny Lunggan told the High Court here today that it would have been difficult to hear or distinguish the sound of a bomb explosion on the day Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu was killed because of explosions from fire crackers as her murder happened during the Hari Raya and Deepavali celebrations.

"The explosion could have been heard but at that time, it would have been difficult to distinguish as that of a bomb explosion. I also cannot ascertain if two auxiliary policemen on duty at the police beat-base at the road junction nearby (the place of the bomb explosion) could have heard it," he added.

To a question by Datuk Hazman Ahmad, who is representing C/Insp Azilah Hadri, an accused in the murder of the Mongolian woman, whether it was possible that those in the area would have able to hear the bomb explosion clearly, Tonny, said he was not sure.

He said that when cautioned statements were recorded from the auxilliary policemen concerned, no questions to that effect were asked.

Tonny, 29, was testifying in the trial of Azilah, 32, and Cpl Sirul Azhar Umar, 37, both from the police's Special Action Unit, who are alleged to have murdered Altantuya, 28, between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the following day in Bukit Raja near here.

Political analyst Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, 48, is charged with abetting them.

Tonny also told the court that he did not call the owner or caretaker of the land where the murder took place for questioning, which prompted Hazman to ask him whether he (Tonny) was aware if someone had trespassed the area before.

Tonny said he would not know since he did not question the land owner or its caretaker.

Earlier, Tonny said police did not keep or check Altantuya's personal belongings, but that they were kept by her friend and cousin and it was for this reason that he did not know what things were carried or kept by Altantuya during her stay at the Malaya Hotel in Kuala Lumpur.

He also said he did not find any clothings or jewellery belonging to Altantuya at the murder scene.

Tonny also said he was not aware that Azilah had contacted one DSP Idris Abdul Karim at the Brickfields police station for assistance to conduct more frequent patrols at Abdul Razak's house.

On telephone conversations between Azilah, Idris and another police officer DSP Musa Safri, allegedly to have taken place a week before Altantuya's death, Tonny said the communications occurred after Musa took Abdul Razak to meet Idris over a police report Abdul Razak had lodged, but did not know if Azilah had contacted Musa to settle Abdul Razak's problem.

Tonny, however, agreed with Hazman that Azilah was not involved in any relationship with Altantuya or her cousin or had met Altantuya's two friends before or after the murder.

The hearing before Judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin continues on May 22.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed