The Shah Alam High Court was unable to watch close-circuit television (CCTV) footage due to technical glitches, as the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial entered the 19th day in the prosecution's case.

DPP Manoj Kurup ( photo ) spent part of the morning questioning Hotel Malaya operations manager Loo Mow Chan, 50, as to which camera had captured the grainy images.

I nstead of footage, a series of jerky 'still' images were seen as the player stalled frequently due to differences in video format, forcing the court to stand down twice within an hour to try and fix the problem.

L oo, who had been instructed to sit away from the witness stand to man the CCTV player, said the tape was incompatible with the system that the prosecution team had set up.

"The tape is only compatible with Hotel Malaya's system," he told the packed courtroom. Many had been waiting expectantly to view the footage taken on Oct 9, 18 and 19 last year.

Manoj then asked Loo if the hotel system could be brought in, to which Loo said "No" because it has since broken down.

The grainy images were said to be recorded by cameras in the lobby, lift lobby and in the lift at the seventh floor, and showed several men in various locations.

After two hours of attempting to view the footage, Judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin told deputy public prosecutor Tun Majid Tun Hamzah that the equipment was obsolete.

'Call new witness'

Manoj attempted to continue with questioning Loo, but the judge said it would be unfair to the respective defence counsel, who would likely request that a new player be used.

Tun Majid then applied for more time to get the right equipment as it had taken the prosecution team two days to obtain the one in use.

"We will be getting a new system. Please give us time to locate it," he told the judge.

Mohd Zaki advised the prosecution to reserve Loo's testimony and get in a new system, pending which a new witness should be called to the stand.

The session was adjourned for lunch at 12:30pm and will resume this afternoon.

During the adjournment, the prosecution team allowed reporters to photograph the screen captures of the footage.

However malaysiakini will withhold publication pending testimony being adduced. This decision is based on journalistic ethics.

Two police officers, Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 31, and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, are charged with the murder which allegedly took place between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year.

The body of Altantuya, a Mongolian national, was said to be blown up in a jungle clearing in Shah Alam, Selangor.

Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, 47, is charged with abetting the murder between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19 last year in Kuala Lumpur.

All three face the death penalty if convicted.