Even 3 years old knows this is a sham...
Malaysia sentences 2 cops in Mongolian murder
By SEAN YOONG, Associated Press Writer
1 hr 35 mins ago
SHAH ALAM, Malaysia – A Malaysian court sentenced two policemen to death Thursday on charges of murdering a Mongolian woman who was blown up with explosives after her yearlong affair with the prime minister's friend ended in a messy disagreement.
The verdict closes another chapter in a case that has riveted the nation, become fodder for the opposition's election campaigns and spawned intense public speculation about political conspiracies and sex scandals in high places.
The woman's former lover, Abdul Razak Baginda, a close aide of Prime Minister Najib Razak, was acquitted last year of charges of abetting her murder.
Wrapping up the policemen's 159-day trial, High Court Judge Zaki Yasin ruled that he found the defense of Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar "unbelievable" as "each of them is blaming the other."
He said he was convicting "both of you as charged" with murdering 28-year-old Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu sometime between Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, 2006.
"They failed to raise any reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case," Zaki said. "I sentence both of you to death" by hanging, he said.
The defendants looked emotionless as the verdict was being read. Defense lawyers said they would appeal.
The prosecution had contended that Shaariibuu's murder was ordered by her former lover Abdul Razak Baginda, a well known defense analyst and a popular figure among the country's elite, after their affair ended.
Zaki acquitted Abdul Razak in October of charges of abetting the murder. But the trial failed to explain what motive the policemen could have for killing the woman. Abdul Razak, 48, moved to Britain after the acquittal.
"The international community cannot accept that only these two men were responsible. It goes beyond that," said Karpal Singh, a lawyer for Shaariibuu's family. "This is not the end of the road."
Abdul Razak, a married man with a grown up daughter, admitted in his defense to having an affair with Shaariibuu, beginning in late 2004.
He portrayed Shaariibuu as a manipulative gold digger, saying he gave her $10,000 after hearing "sob stories" about her financial situation that he later found to be untrue. He said he ended the affair in 2005.
According to Abdul Razak, Shaariibuu kept pestering him for money and threatened to go public with their affair, prompting him to seek help from a private investigator and later from the two policemen, who work for an elite unit assigned to VIP security.
The two policemen admitted to picking up Shaariibuu from outside Abdul Razak's house on the evening of Oct. 19, 2006. The prosecution alleged that they then took her to a jungle clearing near Shah Alam, the capital of central Selangor state, shot her to death and blew up her body with military explosives. Only her remains were found.
Opposition leaders have repeatedly tried to link Najib, who took over as prime minister last Friday, and his wife Rosmah Mansor to Shaariibuu's death. The case was even used by the opposition to attempt to discredit Najib during campaigning for by-elections in three constituencies on Tuesday.
Najib and Rosmah have vehemently denied any links, and the case has not directly implicated the government.
The policemen had presented a weak defense. Azilah, 33, admitted to taking Shaariibuu away from Abdul Razak's house on the orders of a superior officer, but he said he handed her over to Sirul and never saw her again.
Sirul, 37, refused to testify under oath but only read out a statement insisting he was innocent and was "just a scapegoat who has to be sacrificed to cover up the ill intentions of those who were not in court."
However, he did not directly rebut Azilah's claim that he was the last one to be seen with Shaariibuu.
Malaysia sentences 2 cops in Mongolian murder
By SEAN YOONG, Associated Press Writer
1 hr 35 mins ago
SHAH ALAM, Malaysia – A Malaysian court sentenced two policemen to death Thursday on charges of murdering a Mongolian woman who was blown up with explosives after her yearlong affair with the prime minister's friend ended in a messy disagreement.
The verdict closes another chapter in a case that has riveted the nation, become fodder for the opposition's election campaigns and spawned intense public speculation about political conspiracies and sex scandals in high places.
The woman's former lover, Abdul Razak Baginda, a close aide of Prime Minister Najib Razak, was acquitted last year of charges of abetting her murder.
Wrapping up the policemen's 159-day trial, High Court Judge Zaki Yasin ruled that he found the defense of Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar "unbelievable" as "each of them is blaming the other."
He said he was convicting "both of you as charged" with murdering 28-year-old Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu sometime between Oct. 19 and Oct. 20, 2006.
"They failed to raise any reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case," Zaki said. "I sentence both of you to death" by hanging, he said.
The defendants looked emotionless as the verdict was being read. Defense lawyers said they would appeal.
The prosecution had contended that Shaariibuu's murder was ordered by her former lover Abdul Razak Baginda, a well known defense analyst and a popular figure among the country's elite, after their affair ended.
Zaki acquitted Abdul Razak in October of charges of abetting the murder. But the trial failed to explain what motive the policemen could have for killing the woman. Abdul Razak, 48, moved to Britain after the acquittal.
"The international community cannot accept that only these two men were responsible. It goes beyond that," said Karpal Singh, a lawyer for Shaariibuu's family. "This is not the end of the road."
Abdul Razak, a married man with a grown up daughter, admitted in his defense to having an affair with Shaariibuu, beginning in late 2004.
He portrayed Shaariibuu as a manipulative gold digger, saying he gave her $10,000 after hearing "sob stories" about her financial situation that he later found to be untrue. He said he ended the affair in 2005.
According to Abdul Razak, Shaariibuu kept pestering him for money and threatened to go public with their affair, prompting him to seek help from a private investigator and later from the two policemen, who work for an elite unit assigned to VIP security.
The two policemen admitted to picking up Shaariibuu from outside Abdul Razak's house on the evening of Oct. 19, 2006. The prosecution alleged that they then took her to a jungle clearing near Shah Alam, the capital of central Selangor state, shot her to death and blew up her body with military explosives. Only her remains were found.
Opposition leaders have repeatedly tried to link Najib, who took over as prime minister last Friday, and his wife Rosmah Mansor to Shaariibuu's death. The case was even used by the opposition to attempt to discredit Najib during campaigning for by-elections in three constituencies on Tuesday.
Najib and Rosmah have vehemently denied any links, and the case has not directly implicated the government.
The policemen had presented a weak defense. Azilah, 33, admitted to taking Shaariibuu away from Abdul Razak's house on the orders of a superior officer, but he said he handed her over to Sirul and never saw her again.
Sirul, 37, refused to testify under oath but only read out a statement insisting he was innocent and was "just a scapegoat who has to be sacrificed to cover up the ill intentions of those who were not in court."
However, he did not directly rebut Azilah's claim that he was the last one to be seen with Shaariibuu.
