A police photographer who took the witness stand in the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial today told the Shah Alam High Court that he was given instructions to take specific pictures of one of the accused.

Lance corporal Kamarolzaman Mat Nor, 41, admitted that ASP Zulkarnain Samsudin had given him orders to take specific pictures of corporal Sirul Azhar Umar, 36, when the police searched his (Sirul) Kota Damansara house in Nov 7 last year.

During cross examination by Sirul's counsel Ahmad Zaidi Zainal, the photographer said he was instructed by Zulkarnain to take a picture when Sirul held up his black leather jacket.

"Zulkarnain told me to put my camera on standby. When Sirul points and holds up the jacket, I (am to) take a picture," he testified.

The police personnel attached to D6 Kuala Lumpur Contingent headquarters said he received the same instructions from Zulkarnain when some jewellery was retrieved from the jacket.

"I was ordered to be ready with my camera and when Sirul points at the jewellery, I would take a picture," he said.

He denied that those pictures were posed and said they were spontaneous "under Zulkarnain's instructions".

Kamarolzaman is the fifth witness in the trial-within-a-trial aimed at determining whether to exclude statements allegedly made by accused Sirul to his interrogating officer Zulkarnain

According to Zulkarnain, Sirul had kept the jewellery - believed to be Altantuya's - in his leather jacket and had nodded and pointed at them when they were at Sirul's Kota Damansara flat.

Kamarolzaman had also revealed that he was ordered not to go into Sirul's bedroom until the search was finished.

Sirul had earlier testified that the police had tried to set him up and denied making any disclosure about the jewellery to Zulkarnain.

Confused witness

Earlier in the morning, corporal Chiam Swee Guan, 43, ( left ) had judge Mohd Zaki Md Yasin and deputy public prosecutor Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah frustrated when he failed to understand the questions put to him.

The corporal who was handcuffed with Sirul during the search last year appeared confused and got the courtroom laughing at his comical expressions.

Tun Majid had to repeat to Chiam a question on words allegedly uttered by Sirul to Zulkarnain up to seven times before Mohd Zaki interjected and demanded for answer.

He was dismissed before Kamarolzaman was made to testify.

The hearing continues tomorrow.

Two police officers, chief inspector Azilah Hadri, 31, and Sirul are charged with the murder which allegedly took place between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year.

Altantuya's body 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 by giving the orders out to them at between 9.54am on Oct 18 and 9.45pm on Oct 19 last year in Kuala Lumpur.

All three accused face the death penalty if convicted.