TWO POLICEMEN FOUND GUILTY OF ALTANTUYA MURDER

C O N F I D E N T I A L KUALA LUMPUR 000265 SIPDIS FOR EAP/MTS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/09/2019 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINS PINR MY SUBJECT: TWO POLICEMEN FOUND GUILTY OF ALTANTUYA MURDER REF: A. 08 KL 959 - COURT ACQUITS NAJIB'S EX-ADVISOR ¶B. 08 KL 130 - PRESS STIFLED IN MURDER CASE ¶C. 08 KL 70 - PROSECUTOR DOWNBEAT ON MURDER CASE Classified By: Political Counselor Mark D. Clark for reasons 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) Summary and Comment: A Malaysian judge on April 9 found two police officers guilty in the politically-charged murder case of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, a case that saw the acquittal of a former close political advisor to newly installed Prime Minister Najib Razak. The police officers have appealed their verdicts, which carry an automatic death sentence. Based on significant flaws in the prosecution, including a seeming lack of motive for the killing and the prosecution's failure to pursue key witnesses such as Najib's former aide-de-camp Musa Safri, we believe it very possible the verdicts will be overturned on appeal. The verdicts will help to remove the long-running murder case from the spotlight, but the Malaysian public will continue to have questions as to whether justice was served. End Summary and Comment. ¶2. (SBU) High Court Judge Mohd Zaki on April 9 handed down guilty verdicts to two police officers in the politically-charged Altantuya murder case, which has spanned some two and one half years. The judge found Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar guilty of murdering Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu and destroying her body with C4 explosives in October 2006. The judge's verdict, read out in a brief ten-minute session, carries a mandatory death sentence. The two police officers were members of the Royal Malaysian Police's Special Action Squad and were assigned to then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak's protection detail. On October 31, 2008, the same judge acquitted political analyst and close Najib advisor, Abdul Razak Baginda of abetting the two officers in the murder. The acquittal drew intense international and local scrutiny due to Razak's close ties to Najib, persistent but unconfirmed rumors linking Najib to Altantuya, and publicly revealed information that Najib intervened to some extent in the case in the initial days of Razak's arrest. ¶3. (SBU) PolFSN attended the verdict session, during which the judge referred to the police officers' defense statements, saying, "the testimonies when spun together will make two ropes that are strong enough to hang each one." The courtroom was filled with local and international media and the two officers' family members. Defendant Azilah looked relaxed prior to the verdict, smiling to his fiancee and family, even spraying himself with cologne. The defendants and their families remained calm and composed through the proceedings. Lawyers for the defendants immediately announced they would appeal. ¶4. (SBU) Journalists at the courthouse asked Syed Abdul Rahman, a Malaysian national and Mongolia's Honorary Consul General, about who ordered Altantuya's murder, he replied, "We have to respect the court's judgment and let's not question it. The court is satisfied with all the evidence given and found these two guilty. Let's just respect that." (Note: Syed Abdul campaigned for the ruling National Front during by-elections held last year. End note.) Democratic Action Party Chairman Karpal Singh commented that the international community "will not be happy with the judgment" and avoided mentioning Prime Minister Najib in his comments to the press, despite prodding from journalists. KEITH