Dj vu in Altantuya murder trial
For the second time since last week, discrepancies have surfaced in police-generated documents tendered to the Shah Alam High Court in the on-going Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial.
For the second time since last week, discrepancies have surfaced in police-generated documents tendered to the Shah Alam High Court in the on-going Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial.
This time it involves second accused Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar's house number in Kota Damansara, as stated in two identical police reports.
During cross-examination this morning, Sirul's counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin asked ASP Zulkarnain Samsudin, 34,
(photo)
whether he had visited another house before searching Sirul's house at 4.15pm on Nov 7 last year.
According to Kamarul, the police report made by Zulkarnain after visiting Sirul's house - tagged P75 by the court - stated Sirul's house number as 5-2-4.
Kamarul proceeded to tended his document as D96 and showed judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin that the police report had the same reference number.
However, the other lawyers and the judge's copy stated Sirul's house number as 5-3-7.
In the report bearing Zulkarnain's signature, he wrote how he had found jewellery and a jacket after conducting a thorough search in Sirul's house.
Zulkarnain said he did not visit another other house and did not deny making the report but explained that he had written 5-2-4 on the report based on a utility bill which he found in Sirul's house.
"In Sirul's house, I confiscated some utility bills like water, electricity, mobile phone bills and some letters so I can't remember which one it was," he explained.
"One of them which I took stated 5-2-4 so I had that number in mind (when I made the police report)."
Kamarul then asked the officer, who is attached to the serious crimes unit, to look at a picture taken during his visit to Sirul's house which displayed '5-3-7' above the house door.
Looking into the book of photos at the witness stand, Zulkarnain said 'yes' but did not explain why there were two identical reports with different house numbers.
Other defence lawyers said they did not have a copy of the report which states 5-2-4, resulting in the judge adjourning the hearing for lunch.
Kamarul will resume cross-examination when the court sits again at 2.15pm.
Earlier, Zulkarnain said he had signed the document which contained erroneous details of his interrogation with Sirul without looking at it.
"DSP Gan (Tack Guan) had given me many of the same documents to sign. From what I understand, the reports were not in satisfactory condition, (whether it was) a problem with the printing or photostating. Those documents were destroyed," he said.
Last week, he admitted responsibility for discrepancies in the police report lodged concerning Sirul's disclosure of jewellery - believed to belong to Altantuya - in his home.


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