FMT:
Pastor Koh’s abduction similar to Kelantan prince’s arrest, court hears
Wife of missing Pastor Raymond Koh draws parallels between his abduction and a 2010 operation involving Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra.
Pastor Raymond Koh was abducted on Feb 13, 2017. (File pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: The wife of missing pastor Raymond Koh told the High Court today that her husband was abducted in an operation similar to one carried out by the police in 2010 when nabbing a Kelantan prince.
Testifying in the Koh family’s civil suit against the police, Susannah Liew said there were parralels between her husband’s abduction and one which involved Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra.
Referring to a video showing Tengku Fakhry being arrested, she said a police officer was seen surveilling the area before the abduction took place.
She also pointed out how a group of individuals had alighted from several sports utility vehicles (SUVs) to ambush and stop the prince’s vehicle. The vehicle was then taken over by a group of men dressed in all-black outfits, wearing balaclavas and armed with guns, she added.
In addition, Liew said a man was seen capturing the entire incident involving the prince on video.
“This case was widely reported in the media. Reports said the Tengku Temenggong of Kelantan was arrested by special actions unit (UTK) officers outside Istana Mahkota in Kubang Kerian.
“It was the same modus operandi (as the one used to abduct Koh). I believe it was well-organised and (involved) trained police personnel with access to this type of vehicle,” Liew told judicial commissioner Su Tiang Joo.
She noted that Tengku Fakhry had filed a suit against the police and government after the incident, claiming false imprisonment.
In earlier testimony, lawyer Roeshan Celestine Gomez, who witnessed Koh’s abduction on Feb 13, 2017, testified that the whole incident appeared to have been executed “professionally” as it happened in less than one minute.
He said four SUVs surrounded a silver Proton Waja before five masked men dressed in black military outfits emerged and appeared to pull a man out of the car.
Ex-IGP didn’t want us to go public, says Liew
Liew also told the court that the family met then inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar and his senior officers about one month after Koh’s abduction.
She handed Khalid a letter during the meeting, addressing the family’s concerns about the investigations into the pastor’s abduction.
“I also requested that my husband’s abduction not be used by religious authorities and others as an excuse to harass, investigate and prosecute his friends, colleagues and associates.
“The IGP told us not to speak to the press as ‘this makes things difficult’ as the abductors may go silent and (make) it tough (for police) to find them.
“He also admitted that there were no leads at all on the abductors and that he did not know if my husband was still alive,” said Liew.
She said her son, Jonathan, had received messages from a man, asking for money in return for information on Koh’s whereabouts.
The man, Lam Chang Nam, was later charged in the magistrates’ court for blackmailing Jonathan but the police have ruled out his involvement in Koh’s disappearance.
Liew told the court she was frustrated with the police as they had not kept the family informed of developments in the case.
In 2020, Liew filed a lawsuit against the police, the IGP and a number of former high-ranking police officers over his disappearance.
Apart from Khalid, the list includes former IGP Fuzi Harun, and former principal assistant director of the Special Branch’s social extremism division, Awaludin Jadid.
The others named in the lawsuit are former criminal investigation department chief Huzir Mohamed, former Selangor CID chief Fadzil Ahmat, and police officers Supari, Khor Yi Shuen, Hazril Kamis, Shamzaini Daud and Saiful Bahari Abdul Aziz.
Liew is seeking damages over Koh’s disappearance, as well as for the authorities to be held liable for his unlawful abduction, and for misfeasance in public office.
The hearing continues before Su on Dec 14.
KUALA LUMPUR: The wife of missing pastor Raymond Koh told the High Court today that her husband was abducted in an operation similar to one carried out by the police in 2010 when nabbing a Kelantan prince.
Testifying in the Koh family’s civil suit against the police, Susannah Liew said there were parralels between her husband’s abduction and one which involved Tengku Muhammad Fakhry Petra.
Referring to a video showing Tengku Fakhry being arrested, she said a police officer was seen surveilling the area before the abduction took place.
She also pointed out how a group of individuals had alighted from several sports utility vehicles (SUVs) to ambush and stop the prince’s vehicle. The vehicle was then taken over by a group of men dressed in all-black outfits, wearing balaclavas and armed with guns, she added.
In addition, Liew said a man was seen capturing the entire incident involving the prince on video.
“This case was widely reported in the media. Reports said the Tengku Temenggong of Kelantan was arrested by special actions unit (UTK) officers outside Istana Mahkota in Kubang Kerian.
“It was the same modus operandi (as the one used to abduct Koh). I believe it was well-organised and (involved) trained police personnel with access to this type of vehicle,” Liew told judicial commissioner Su Tiang Joo.
She noted that Tengku Fakhry had filed a suit against the police and government after the incident, claiming false imprisonment.
In earlier testimony, lawyer Roeshan Celestine Gomez, who witnessed Koh’s abduction on Feb 13, 2017, testified that the whole incident appeared to have been executed “professionally” as it happened in less than one minute.
He said four SUVs surrounded a silver Proton Waja before five masked men dressed in black military outfits emerged and appeared to pull a man out of the car.
Ex-IGP didn’t want us to go public, says Liew
Liew also told the court that the family met then inspector-general of police (IGP) Khalid Abu Bakar and his senior officers about one month after Koh’s abduction.
She handed Khalid a letter during the meeting, addressing the family’s concerns about the investigations into the pastor’s abduction.
“I also requested that my husband’s abduction not be used by religious authorities and others as an excuse to harass, investigate and prosecute his friends, colleagues and associates.
“The IGP told us not to speak to the press as ‘this makes things difficult’ as the abductors may go silent and (make) it tough (for police) to find them.
“He also admitted that there were no leads at all on the abductors and that he did not know if my husband was still alive,” said Liew.
She said her son, Jonathan, had received messages from a man, asking for money in return for information on Koh’s whereabouts.
The man, Lam Chang Nam, was later charged in the magistrates’ court for blackmailing Jonathan but the police have ruled out his involvement in Koh’s disappearance.
Liew told the court she was frustrated with the police as they had not kept the family informed of developments in the case.
In 2020, Liew filed a lawsuit against the police, the IGP and a number of former high-ranking police officers over his disappearance.
Apart from Khalid, the list includes former IGP Fuzi Harun, and former principal assistant director of the Special Branch’s social extremism division, Awaludin Jadid.
The others named in the lawsuit are former criminal investigation department chief Huzir Mohamed, former Selangor CID chief Fadzil Ahmat, and police officers Supari, Khor Yi Shuen, Hazril Kamis, Shamzaini Daud and Saiful Bahari Abdul Aziz.
Liew is seeking damages over Koh’s disappearance, as well as for the authorities to be held liable for his unlawful abduction, and for misfeasance in public office.
The hearing continues before Su on Dec 14.
The abductors were themselves police....
ReplyDeleteMalaysia was fast on the road to becoming a failed state where the police are themselves Death Squad executioners.
Round up all these pastors. They don't know nothing about life after death or the real truth about God. Simply blabbering about life and afterlife keeping the flocks dazed and hooked up not unlike the dreadful influence of drug pushers on their addicts.
ReplyDeleteWhatever your opinions and objections, there is absolutely no justification for Enforced Disappearances done by people on the Government payroll.
DeleteThat way lies the road to Failed State status
Mfer, ain't u one of those zombieice flock intoxicated under the same Abrahamic farts?
Delete