Blue notice issued against American couple over murder of Dutch model Ivana Smit

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here today was told that the police had issued a blue notice to Interpol to locate the whereabouts of an American couple over the murder of Dutch model Ivana Esther Robert Smit, in 2017.

Senior federal counsel Nuur (repeat: Nuur) Zul Izzati Zulkipli said the notice was issued last Wednesday against Alexander William Johnson, 51, and Lunara Almazkyzy, 37, who were linked with the death of the 18-year-old model.

This was the second notice against the couple. The first one was issued on Nov 18, 2020.

Meanwhile, lawyer Datuk S.N. Nair, representing Ivana's mother, Christina Carolina Gerarda Johanna Verstappen, said following the latest development, the dates earlier set for the trial have been vacated to Oct 21.

"The trial originally set for today and Wednesday has been vacated. The parties have considered a potential settlement, the details of which cannot be disclosed at this time.

"The court has scheduled a follow-up on Oct 21 for parties to provide an update on the settlement. If no settlement is reached, the trial will proceed on the said date," said the counsel.

Judicial Commissioner Roz Mawar Rozain allowed the postponement.

Verstappen filed the suit in 2020 against the police, the Home Minister, Dang Wangi investigating officer ASP Faizal Abdullah and the government for alleged breach of statutory duties and negligence in the investigation to determine the cause of her 18-year-old daughter's death.

In the suit, Verstappen claimed that her daughter was found dead on the sixth floor of CapSquare Residence on Dec 7, 2017, after falling from the 20th floor of a condominium unit owned by the couple.

She contended that the police had committed negligence when they failed to cordon off the crime scene or conduct a proper investigation against Johnson and Almazkyzy and failed to detain, extradite and secure the duo's attendance during the inquest as key witnesses.

On March 18, 2019, the Coroner's Court ruled that Ivana's death was caused by a "misadventure".

Not satisfied with the coroner's verdict, Verstappen appealed to the Kuala Lumpur High Court and on Nov 22, 2019, High Court Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah set aside the coroner's verdict and replaced it with a verdict of "Death by a person or persons unknown".

-- BERNAMA