LIVE: Wife of missing activist takes stand today
Noel Achariam
| May 30, 2018
A SUHAKAM inquiry into four missing persons was brought forward to today after the wife of a missing activist filed an explosive report alleging the police were involved in her husband’s disappearance.
Norhayati Arrifin, wife of Amri Che Mat, is recalled to face the inquiry panel after she lodged a report claiming a police officer told that a team from federal police headquarters in Bukit Aman were involved in the abductions of Amri and Pastor Raymond Koh.
Norhayati will testify today at Human Rights Commission of Malaysia headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut.
The police officer who allegedly spilled the beans to her, a Special Branch officer from Perlis, has been summoned to testify tomorrow.
Amri, a social activist and forex trader in Perlis, is believed to have been abducted on November 24, 2016, while on the way to meet a friend.
His car was seen surrounded by 4WD vehicles driven by a group of people in Kampung Padang Behor.
Koh was abducted in Petaling Jaya on February 13 last year by about 15 men in three black SUVs.
Suhakam is conducting a public inquiry into the disappearance of Amri, Koh and Pastor Joshua and Ruth Hilmy to determine if they were cases of enforced disappearances sanctioned by the state.
The Malaysian Insight brings you the proceedings live:
9.25am: Inquiry starts with Norhayati Arrifin, wife of missing activist Amri Che Mat wife, called to the stand.
9.35am: Suhakam officers ask Norhayati about her meeting with Sarjan Shamzaini.
Norhayati said she met him on May 12 at 10.30pm at her house. He came by motorbike to the house and was casually dressed. They talked for two hours and he left at 12.50am, she said.
9.45am: Norhayathi said it was the first time she met Shamzaini and she had agreed to speak to him because he had information about Amri.
“We then proceeded to the veranda with my daughter and sat there at the staircase.
“He then introduced himself at Sham. I then asked if he is a police officer but he declined to answer.
“All Sham said was that he wanted to reveal what had happened to Amri.”
10.05am: Norhayathi said Shamzaini told her he had the courage now to reveal all because the government had changed.
“Sham said he decided to talk about Amri because he didn’t want to be implicated.
“I then ask again if he is a police officer and that’s when he showed his police identification card and identification card.”
10.15am: Norhayati said Shamzaini told him that he had been a police officer for 18 years.
“He said 10 years he was based in Kuala Lumpur and eight years in Perlis.
“He said that the police have been monitoring and ASP Razman had sent all the info on Amri (activities) to Bukit Aman.
Norhayati said Shamzaini told her the Perlis police chief was aware Amri was being monitored.
She said Shamzaini told her DCP Awaluddin and (former IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar) had also known Amri was being watched.
10.35am: Norhayati then asked Shamzaini why was Amri taken, to which he replied Amri was taken because he was involved in Shia and forex activities.
“I then asked where Amri was and Shamzaini said he didn’t know.
“I then asked about Koh’s (Pastor Raymond ) case and why he was taken.
“Shamzaini said that he was taken because of proselytisation.
Commissioner Nik Salida asks what Norhayati meant in her statement that Amri was taken by force.
Norhayati tells the panel Shamzaini told her Amri was beaten and his car smashed and abandoned in Bukit Cabang.
Norhayati said at the end of the conversation, Shamzaini told her Inspector Koh had been coached (by police) on what to say in his testimony to Suhakam.
Norhayathi said after consulting Sheryll Stothard, the liaison for families of Amri and Koh, she filed a police report at Shah Alam.
11.25am: Commissioner Mah asks Norhayati why she had asked Shamzaini about Koh’s disappearance. He tells her to explain her intentions.
Norhayati said she asked about Koh because the manner of his abduction was similar to Amri’s.
“They were both taken and there is still no clue to their dissappearance.
“There are similarities as it is forced abduction.”
11.50am: Comissioner Mah asks Norhayati did she know ASP Razman and Shamzaini were from Bukit Aman.
Norhayati said she was told by Shamzaini that Razman was his superior and the person in charge of monitoring Amri.
Norhayathi said he told her he was not involved in Amri’s abduction.
“He said he was in Kuala Lumpur during the abduction and he has proof.”
12.05pm: Norhayati tells the panel that she contacted Amri’s close friends, Anwar and Aizat, immediately after her meeting with Shamzaini.
“After telling them about the conversation (with Shamzaini), I also told them that Shamzaini had said that Razman had planned it (abduction) but it was Bukit Aman that took Amri.”
Amri’s lawyer Jerald Gomez asks Norhayati whether she was worried about Shamzaini who has revealed such information to hrt.
Norhayati said she was not worried at first but later thought that maybe he could get in trouble. – May 30, 2018
Report:
30 May 2018- Live: Wife of missing activist takes stand today