Cops will probe Koh, Amri's cases despite appeal process: Saifuddin

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the police will continue to investigate the disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh and activist Amri Che Mat.

This comes despite the government appealing the High Court’s decision ordering the payment of about RM40 million in compensation to Koh’s family.

Insisting that the police have never stopped probing the cases, Saifuddin said the court appeal was done due to the financial implications tied to the verdict.

“The police are continuing their investigation… the investigations have never stopped… it was never closed.

“We know about the court decision regarding Koh, which requires the police to bring him back, where failure to do so would mean the government would have to pay RM10,000 per day.

“But the appeal was announced by the Attorney-General’s Chambers because it involves heavy financial implications,” he said during a press conference after attending the Independent Police Conduct Commission (IPCC) Symposium in Kuala Lumpur today.

Court in favour of Amri, Koh’s families

On Nov 5, High Court judge Su Tiang Joo ordered the government to pay RM10,000 per day to Koh’s family, starting the day that he was abducted on Feb 13, 2017, until he is found or his whereabouts are identified. The accumulated total now sits at RM32 million.

The judge further awarded RM4 million in damages, RM1 million in aggravated damages for the prolonged delay in Koh’s discovery and another RM1 million for unconstitutional acts taken against the pastor by the defendants, which included the government and police, and that the compensation be paid into a trust fund.

Meanwhile, Koh’s wife, Susanna Liew, who is the second plaintiff in the case, was granted RM2 million in general and aggravated damages for mental distress, plus RM1 million in exemplary damages.

The order was made after the government and the police were found liable for the disappearance of Koh.

Apart from Koh, the same judge had also held the government and police liable for the disappearance of Amri and awarded his wife, Norhayati Ariffin, RM2 million in general damages, RM1 million in exemplary damages, as well as RM14,457.52 in special damages and RM250,000 in costs.

Earlier, Liew had asked the court to appoint a trustee to manage the monetary compensation.

Liew’s lawyer, Jerald Gomez and Michelle Wong, confirmed the matter to Malaysiakini when contacted today, and said Su will decide on the application on Dec 8.

Gomez also confirmed to Malaysiakini that the government has yet to pay the court-ordered compensation to date.

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