Teoh Beng Hock's case: Court of Appeal nullifies coroner's verdict

The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya nullified the coroner’s verdict into the inquest of Teoh Beng Hock’s death, said judge Justice Mah Weng Kai.

Justice Mah, who was reading one of the three unanimous judgements on the appeal by Teoh’s family, ruled out that the DAP political aide had committed suicide.

The unanimous decision by a three-member panel was delivered by Justice Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof to deliberate on the appeal by Teoh’s brother, Teoh Meng Kee against the Shah Alam High Court’s dismissal of an application on Dec 1, 2011 for a revision in the coroner’s open verdict.

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

The 30-year-old Teoh was the political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, and was found dead on July 16, 2009 at Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam after he had given a statement at the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)’s Selangor office located at the premises.

Justice Mah said that it was incumbent on the magistrate who handled the inquest to treat Teoh’s case as a custodial death as Teoh was under the care of MACC officers.