Murder accused Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri told the High Court that he last saw Altantuya Shaariibuu when he left the Mongolian woman with the second accused, Sirul Azhar Umar, at Bukit Aman on the night she was killed, between Oct 19 and 20.

altantuya trial 160707 azilah Azilah said while breaking fast with his girlfriend Lance Corporal Rohaniza Roslan, he received a phone call from political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda who told him that Altantuya Shaariibuu was causing a commotion outside his (Razak's) house in Bukit Damansara.

Testifying before Justice Mohd Zaki Md Yasin, Azilah said when he went to Abdul Razak's house on Oct 19 with Rohaniza, he saw private investigator P Balasubramaniam and Altantuya outside the residence.

"Abdul Razak's instruction was for me to meet the private investigator and take Altantuya back to her hotel and try to pacify her to stop making threats. While on my way to Abdul Razak's house, I also informed Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar of the matter. He promised to meet me there.

"On arriving there, I approached Bala and he asked me who I was. When I asked him the same question, he replied he was Bala. I introduced myself as Chief Inspector Azilah. Then, Sirul arrived and he entered the Proton Wira which was driven by Rohaniza," he said.

Azilah said Altantuya then entered the Proton Wira and sat in the back seat. He asked Rohaniza to sit with Altantuya in the back seat. Sirul sat in the front passenger's seat.

'I advised Altantuya'

"As I was driving away, a Chinese man approached the car. Initially, I thought he was the private investigator hired by Altantuya. However, he was the cab driver and demanded that Altantuya pay him RM150 as taxi fare.

"I told him that the matter was between him and the Chinese lady (Altantuya). As I wanted to make a quick move, I paid the cab driver RM50," he said.

Azilah said Sirul then asked to be dropped off by the side of the road where his (Sirul's) jeep was parked.

"I dropped Sirul by the side of the road and he boarded his jeep. Rohaniza then moved to the front passenger seat while Altantuya remained at the back.

altantuya shaariibuu murdered mongolian model "I followed Sirul who was heading to Bukit Aman. While on the way there, I told Altantuya that I am a policeman and advised her to stop harassing Abdul Razak. I told her if she wanted something from Abdul Razak, she should meet the political analyst at his office and not his home as he has a family.

"Altantuya seemed to have understood what I said and asked me to take her to her hotel. However, (I could not as) Rohaniza had to meet a friend in Petaling Jaya and I had to make preparations as I was leading a security detail team for the deputy prime minister the next day in Putrajaya," he said.

Azilah and Sirul are jointly charged with murdering Altantuya, 28, at a location between Lot 12843 and Lot 16735 in Mukim Bukit Raja, Selangor between 10am on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the following day.

Azilah, then informed Sirul who was in front of him at Bukit Aman, to take Altantuya to her hotel.

"Altantuya agreed to follow Sirul and left in the jeep. Meanwhile, I was busy at the special action squad headquarters in Bukit Aman to prepare for my assignment the next day.

Azilah said he took his revolver from the command centre and waited for his fiancee Norazilah Baharuddin to have a late supper.

He said Norazilah arrived at about 10.30pm and they both went to Wangsa Maju for char kuey teow .

Assignment the next day

"I met Norazilah to discuss our marriage preparations. She wanted a copy of my authority card to fill in some marriage forms and I gave her a copy.

"After spending 45 minutes eating there, Norazilah sent me back to Bukit Aman at about 12.20am. Then, I called Rohaniza who had earlier promised me to take me to Putrajaya.

"I waited for Rohaniza and she arrived moments later to send me to the transit home (a shelter for special action squad members) in Precinct 8, Putrajaya. We used the Sungai Besi highway and exited at the Kajang toll to head to Precinct 8."

Azilah said on arriving at the transit home, he met with another squad personnel, Che Kamaruziman.

"Kamaruziman asked me whether I was replacing Assistant Superintendent Azani Omar, who was earlier in charge of security for the deputy prime minister.

"I replied yes and asked where the other members were and was told they had gone out to purchase food for sahur ," he said.

Counsel Hazman Ahmad who was representing Azilah then told judge Mohd Zaki that he had finished his examination of his client. He also informed the court that he may call three defence witnesses to testify in the trial.

DPP Tun Majid Tun Hamzah, who was leading the prosecution, requested for more time to look over the evidence and the judge consented.