Judge questions officer’s conduct in probing model’s death

KUALA LUMPUR: The Coroner’s Court has called into question the conduct of the second investigating officer in the case of 19-year-old Dutch model Ivana Esther Robert Smith (pic), who was found dead and naked on the sixth floor of a condominium here in December 2017.

Ruling that her death was due to misadventure, Sessions Court judge Mahyon Talib, who sat as coroner in the inquest into Smit’s death, criticised Asst Supt Faizal Abdullah for not questioning American businessman Alex Johnson, 44, and his Kazakh wife Luna Almaz, 31, more.

“There were many obvious evidence and reasons that raised suspicion on the explanations given by Johnson and Almaz.

“It is a mystery and indeed a tragedy when

ASP Faizal did not do the right thing,” she said.

Mahyon said it may have been a deliberate decision by ASP Faizal in not wanting to change the sudden death report to an investigation paper.

“He could have taken more evidence. Why didn’t he do that?” she questioned.

On Dec 7 2017, Smit fell from the 20th floor of an apartment in Jalan Dang Wangi and landed on a balcony on the sixth floor.

It is believed that Smit was in the apartment with Johnson and Luna after spending a night out with them.

The couple had admitted to having a threesome with her on the night itself and months before her death.

Mahyon said ASP Faizal should have checked the apartment for alcoholic drinks and ordered the forensics department to test more samples for DNA and the bottles found in the unit for their content.

She said Smit’s injuries were consistent with falling from a certain height.

She also agreed with the testimony of pathologist Dr Frank Van De Goot that Smit had died before her body was found on the balcony.

“The mark on her arm, the trauma behind her head, a broken bottle and Johnson’s DNA under Smit’s nails suggested there was an altercation between Johnson, Smit and Luna. But the court could not ascertain what really happened.

“Therefore, the court rules that the deceased’s death was due to a misadventure,” she said.