Lawyer: Mahathir says Mongolian model murder case should be reopened
PUTRAJAYA The Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case could be reopened.
That is what the victim's father, Dr Shaariibuu Setev, and lawyer Ramkarpal Singh said Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad had agreed to.
"He (Dr Mahathir) agreed that it is a case that warrants further investigation," said Mr Ramkarpal.
"The prime minister however is also adamant that the process must follow the rule of law. We also agreed with him and have started the due process, which began with meeting the Attorney-General (on Tuesday). We are confident that the rule of law will take its course.
"It was a very satisfactory meeting. The Prime Minister also spoke in detail with Dr Shaariibuu," Mr Ramkarpal told reporters outside the Prime Minister's office after the 30-minute meeting.
Also present were a Mongolian translator and a representative from the Mongolian consulate.
Dr Shaariibuu had lodged a report earlier yesterday at the Dang Wangi police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur seeking a fresh investigation into the 12-year-old case.
He said Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga had also expressed gratitude to Dr Mahathir.
LETTER
After Pakatan Harapan's historic victory, Mr Khaltmaagiin had also written to Dr Mahathir.
"As the President of Mongolia, I pay special attention to the grave crime committed in Malaysia on Oct 18, 2006 - the murder of Ms Shariibuu Altantuya, a Mongolian national and a mother of two children," Mr Khaltmaagiin said in his letter.
He urged the then newly sworn-in premier to help bring justice to Ms Altantuya's family "to invigorate the atmosphere in the bilateral relations between our two countries".
Two former policemen, Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri, were convicted in 2009 of murdering Ms Altantuya and sentenced to death by the High Court, although the Court of Appeal overturned this in 2013.- THE STAR/ANN
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