Probe similar elements in Koh and Amri's cases: Ex-task force chair

The still untraced owner of a gold-coloured Toyota Vios is part of the “scheme of things” that ties together the disappearances of social activist Amri Che Mat and pastor Raymond Koh, the Kuala Lumpur High Court heard.

Abdul Rahim Uda, who chaired a special task force set up by the Home Ministry to look into the incidents, testified that the elements when looked at together presented a “perplexing” and “uncomfortable” view of the cases.

The retired High Court judge said while the classified report found that rogue police officers may have been responsible for both disappearances, he reiterated that the task force also recommended that the police and Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) look further into the cases.

While testifying in the hearing of Koh’s family’s lawsuit against the police and federal government, Rahim said the Toyota Vios with numberplate PFC 1623 was seen before Amri (above, right) and Koh’s disappearances at Kangar, Perlis on Nov 24, 2016, and Petaling Jaya, Selangor, on Feb 13, 2017.

Rahim noted that the vehicle’s owner, Saiful Bahari Abd Aziz, was a contract worker for Bukit Aman’s Special Branch officers’ quarters from 2006 to 2018, and yet the authorities failed to produce him for the task force.

Rahim said other elements in the “scheme of things” included a meeting between former Special Branch assistant director Awaluddin Jadid and several police officers with Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, before Amri’s disappearance.

Another element was a meeting between Special Branch officer Shamzaini Daud and Norhayati Ariffin, Amri’s wife.

‘Uncomfortable findings’

Rahim agreed with Koh’s family’s lawyer Steven Thiru, who asked if the “scheme of things” refers to possible planning, execution of the plan, and resulting cover-up.

“All these things point to very uncomfortable findings which we (task force) feel the authorities need to look into,” Rahim told civil court judge Su Tiang Joo.

Yesterday, Rahim testified that the task force did not find direct evidence of the enforced disappearance of Amri and Koh linked to the government.

However, he said the task force recommended the authorities to look further into the case due to the surrounding circumstantial evidence.

Meanwhile, during cross-examination by senior federal counsel Nurul Farhana Khalid who represented the defendants - the police and government - Rahim reiterated that the task force’s report was not to help the authorities nor Koh’s family in the civil action.

He explained that the task force’s terms of reference set by the cabinet was to prepare the report and make recommendations to the government on how to deal with the disappearances.

“The AGC has to monitor both investigation papers, one on Amri and the other on Koh. They have the power to do so,” Rahim said on one of the recommendations.

The trial resumes on Jan 7 next year.

Lawsuit

Koh’s family is suing to force the police and government to divulge the whereabouts of the pastor, who would turn 70 next month. He disappeared in 2017 aged 63.

In 2019, Suhakam ruled that Amri and Koh were victims of enforced disappearance perpetrated by members of the Special Branch from the Bukit Aman police headquarters.

Amri was last seen leaving his home in Kangar, Perlis, while CCTV footage showed Koh being abducted in broad daylight in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, while he was on the way to a friend’s house.

After Suhakam’s findings, Koh’s wife Susanna Liew filed a civil suit against the police and government.

Amri’s wife, Norhayati, filed a separate lawsuit to compel the authorities to reveal the whereabouts of her missing husband.

She is also relying on the same special task force report in the suit over the incident involving her husband who was 43 when he disappeared.

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