ALTANTUYA FAMILY’S APPLICATION DISMISSED
Judge rejects request to include murder judgment in RM100m lawsuit
THE High Court yesterday dismissed an application by the family of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu to include the judgment in her murder case in their RM100 million lawsuit against the government.
Judge Datuk Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera made the ruling after the case was heard in the chambers.
The lawsuit was filed by Altantuya’s father, Shaariibuu Setev.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Sangeet Kaur Deo, said the court dismissed the application based on Section 43 of the Evidence Act, which states that judgments or convictions in another court could not be used in subsequent proceedings.
“Section 43 does not allow criminal convictions in civil lawsuits. This is based on the existing judicial system.
“This particular section is based on the judicial system in the UK (United Kingdom).
“But the UK has amended its laws. Maybe this is a chance for the Attorney-General’s Chambers to amend this section,” she said here yesterday.
Sangeet said Altantuya’s family would file an appeal today, adding that the trial would begin in January.
The family filed the suit in 2007 against the government, police officers Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri, who were convicted of her murder, and political analyst Razak Baginda.
The Federal Court in January 2015 found Azilah and Sirul guilty of murdering Altantuya and sentenced them to death by hanging. Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had said he agreed with calls for the high-profile murder case to be reopened following a meeting with Shaariibuu on June 20.