Shameful to both Azilah and Sirul for not telling the truth and not using the opportunity to reveal all during the proceeding, because of this, only both of them will be severely penalised but not "them"..... sigh....
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/4/9/nation/20090409093431&sec=nation
Published: Thursday April 9, 2009 MYT 9:33:00 AM - The Star
Updated: Thursday April 9, 2009 MYT 12:25:35 PM
Altantuya murder: It's death for Azilah and Sirul (Update)
SHAH ALAM: Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri,32, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, were found guilty and sentenced to death for the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu three years ago, wrapping up the country's longest trial ever.
Justice Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin, said the prosecution had proven the case against them beyond reasonable doubt.
He said their defences were essentially ones of denial and of blaming each other and as such, were irreconcilable and unbelievable.
"Thus they have failed to raise any reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case which I find to be irresistibly conclusive on account of the physical and circumstantial evidence adduced before me.
"I therefore now sentence you, Azilah and Sirul Azhar, to death and both of you will henceforth be kept in lawful custody until you are brought to a lawful place where you will be hung by the neck until you are dead," he said.
The defense counsels said they would appeal.
Azilah, 33, is represented by two counsels, Datuk Hazman Ahmad and J. Kuldeep Kumar while Sirul Azhar, 37, is represented by Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, Hasnal Redzua Marican and Ahmad Zaidi Zainal.
In the high profile trial that hogged the local and international media, the duo were charged with murdering Altantuya, who was 28 then, between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735 Mukim Bukit Raja near here, between 10 pm, Oct 19 and 1 am, Oct 20, 2006.
Initially they were tried together with the executive director of Malaysian Strategic Research Centre (MSRC), Abdul Razak Abdullah Baginda, 48, who was charged with abetment in the murder of Altantuya.
However on Oct 31, 2008, the political analyst walked out a free man after the court found that the prosecution had failed to furnish proof on an important element on the abetment charge.
Abdul Razak since has left to United Kingdom and is said to be taking up a PhD at Oxford University.
While Azilah and Sirul Azhar -- who pleaded not guilty -- were hoping to be released, the prosecution went all out to prove they were the ones behind Altantuya's murder and the disposal of her remains using explosives.
The prosecution team consisting of Deputy Public Prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah, Noorin Badaruddin, Manoj Kurup and Hanim Rashid, stressed in their submissions that Azilah and Sirul Azhar were the people behind Altantuya's murder.
Based on the evidence gathered from prosecution witnesses, the explosive used to blow up Altantuya's body was probably placed in her mouth.
Manoj noted at the end of the prosecution's case that both accused had the motive to kill and it was a preplanned crime.
Manoj noted that several circumstantial pieces of evidence that the prosecution tried to prove were never denied, explained or answered by both defendants.
"Several of the strong evidence deduced from the testimonies when spun together will make two ropes that are strong enough to hang each one of them.
"The prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt on the actions of the duo calls for their conviction on the murder carried out with the common intention," he had said.
Azilah, who started his testimony on Jan 15, stated that he had no motive to kill or destroy the woman and instead he only met Altantuya to advise her politely not to harass Abdul Razak or create a ruckus outside the latter's home.
Azilah also told the court that he was ordered by a superior, DSP Musa Safri to help Abdul Razak and thus he would not have done something stupid like killing -- especially seeing he was a policeman.
While defending himself Sirul Azhar broke down a few times and claimed he had been made the sacrificial lamb in the murder.
The case has set many records including being the most number of days for hearing (159 days) and 84 witnesses at the prosecution stage and two at the defence stage, and it remained the high profile case for almost two years before Abdul Razak was released.
According to records, Azilah has been incarcerated at the Sungai Buloh Prison for 891 days while Sirul Azhar 895 days.
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