Police informant’s incriminating revelations.
- Top brass in the police force involved
- Ex-IGP Khalid was in the know
- Same team took Amri and Koh
- Police officers coached on what to say at Suhakam inquiry
The wife of missing activist Amri Che Mat told the inquiry into the disappearance of Amri Che Mat, Pastor Raymond Koh and others conducted by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) that a police officer told her that Special Branch officers from Bukit Aman abducted her husband without the knowledge of Perlis police.
Norhayati Mohd Ariffin said that a Sgt Shamzaini Mohd Daud, a Special Branch informant from Perlis, came to see her to reveal information about her husband after the change in government following the May 9 polls.
“He told me that he did not want to be complicit in the abduction of my husband,” she said.
Norhayati told a Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) inquiry on the abduction on Wednesday (May 30) that Shamzaini came to her house at 10.30pm on May 12.
“We talked for two hours and 20 minutes, and he left at 12.50am on his motorbike,” she said.
Norhayati, however, said that Shamzaini did not know the whereabouts of her husband and that no one said anything about it.
She alleged that Shamzaini told her that her husband was monitored by the Perlis police who fed information back to Bukit Aman.
She said that he was monitored because of his Syiah beliefs and forex dealings.
Amri had gone out from his home in Kangar at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016, in his SUV.
His car was later found at the construction site of the Bukit Cabang Sports School in the wee hours of the morning the following day.
“He said Amri was beaten up while they grabbed him from his car roughly. The police definitely did not follow the law when they took him,” Norhayati said.
“He also said he felt guilty, which was why he was revealing the information to me. He said he dared to speak now as the government had changed.
“He also said he dared to speak because the names of the top brass in the police force who were involved were already known to the public.”
She claimed that the top police officials, including former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, knew about the matter.
Shamzaini also allegedly told Nurhayati that Perlis police officers were coached on what to say at the Suhakam inquiry.
Norhayati added that Shamzaini was also the informant who revealed that the same police team had taken Raymond Koh.
Norhayati and Amri were married in 1997 and have four girls aged between 11 and 19.Amri was also a mountain climber who was part of the 1997 Mount Everest Malaysian expedition team.
Norhayati asked the home ministry to ensure the protection of Shamzaini as she feared for his safety.
“I really hope that the home ministry can give him protection. He dared to leak sensitive information, and I’m sure he now feels pressured.
“I’m afraid that if he feels pressured, he won’t tell the truth when he appears in the inquiry as a witness,” she said.
Nurhayati said she had not been in contact with him since he came to see her on the night of May 12.
“We only talked about Amri, and even then, he was worried about his surroundings and told me not to record the conversation, out of fear,” she added.
She said Shamzaini had also revealed important names and details to her during their meeting.
“He mentioned important names of the top brass in the police force whom he said were involved in the abductions of Amri and Koh.
“I believe Amri was taken by them, and I ask the police to release Amri and Koh immediately. If they committed any crime, bring them to justice.”
Former inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar had dismissed any suggestion that police were involved in the abductions.
The inquiry is being held under Section 12(1) of the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia Act in connection with the disappearances of Pastor Raymond Koh, Amri, and Pastor Joshua Hilmi and his wife Ruth Sitepu.
The panel of inquiry consists of commissioners Datuk Mah Weng Kwai as chairman, Prof Datuk Dr Aishah Bidin, and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleh.