Beng Hock's original inquest had 'red flags'

The investigation into political aide Teoh Beng Hock’s death, which resulted in a controversial open verdict by the Coroner’s Court, might have been wrongly conducted in the first place.

This is the opinion of Richard Wee, one of the lawyers involved in the inquest into Teoh's death as well as the Royal Commission on Inquiry on the case.

He opined that there were many ‘red flag’ issues that the authorities might have missed throughout the course of investigation.

"For example, in the matter of the deceased’s mobile phone, the police testified that the phone was in the possession of MACC, which implied that Teoh may have died while still in custody.

According to testimonies at the inquest, Teoh arrived at the Selangor Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's office at Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam at approximately 6pm on July 15, 2009.

At about 7pm, his mobile phone was reportedly taken away from him.

MACC officer Mohd Nazri Ibrahim had testified that he finished recording Teoh’s written statement around 3.50am the next day.

According to Mohd Nazri, he had asked the deceased to go home then, but the deceased told him he wanted to rest first on the sofa.

Teoh was last seen alive at the pantry between 5am and 6am.

When he was found dead at 1.30pm that day on the building's fifth floor service corridor, Teoh's mobile phone was in the possession of MACC officials.

On what is to transpire next, Wee said, following the police’s confirmation to reopen the case, they (the police) would need to go through all evidence and witnesses once again.

The findings would then be presented to the Attorney-General who will then decide if the case, if any, would be brought to court.

Earlier Friday, Bukit Aman said it will re-open Teoh’s case following the appellate court’s landmark decision in setting aside the open verdict by the Coroner's Court in the original inquest.

On Jan 5, 2011, Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas at the Shah Alam Court had delivered an open verdict on the case, saying there was insufficient evidence to prove how Teoh died, ruling out both suicide and homicide.

“We want to investigate the possibility that his death was a result of, or was accelerated by, persons unknown,” Federal CID director, Comm Datuk Seri Mohmad Salleh was quoted by The Star as saying.

The Court of Appeal overturned the open verdict on the 2009 death of Teoh, then a political aide to Selangor DAP executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah.

The three-man panel, comprising Justice Datuk Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, Justice Mah Weng Kai and Justice Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, was unanimous in its decision and had called for a further probe into Teoh's death by not excluding MACC officers who were involved in the deceased's arrest and investigation.

The panel had also ruled out that Teoh had committed suicide.

Justice Mah, in his written judgement yesterday, said it is important for a thorough investigation be carried out so that there will not be allegations of a government cover-up.

“Every effort must be made to track down the perpetrator or perpetrators in a thorough police investigation. No one should be spared in the investigations so that there will be no allegations of a cover-up.

“And with that hopefully, there will be some closure of the case for the family of Teoh Beng Hock. It is paramount that the interest of the family of Teoh Beng Hock and public interest is served,” he had said.