THE name of murdered Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu appeared in France’s investigation of the multi-million dollar Scorpene submarine deal, said French lawyers today ahead of a meeting with Attorney-General Tommy Thomas.

The lawyers told reporters in Putrajaya that the ongoing trial for the civil suit filed by Altantuya’s family could shed new light on the Scorpene deal inked during Najib Razak’s time as defence minister.

“Although the French authorities are not investigating the murders, her name does appear,” said lawyer Apolline Cagnat, whose law firm was hired 10 years ago by local rights group Suaram to file a legal challenge on the Scorpene deal.

“The timeline matches, we know she came to France around the time the deal was being made, we understand she had a part in the Scorpene deal (translating)... we don’t know her role and it needs to be clarified,” she said at a press conference today before the meeting with Thomas and several officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

Cagnat and her partner attorney, William Bourdon, arrived in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Najib and his former adviser Abdul Razak Baginda have been accused of receiving kickbacks in the purchase of three submarines from a French ship builder in 2002.

Altantuya’s father had claimed that Razak, who received €30 million (RM137 million) in relation to the Scorpene deal, was her lover at the time the deals were signed.

In July 2017, the French courts indicted Baginda, who dealt with the purchase of the submarines from Thales and DCNS in 2002.

Suaram’s civil suit had led to the indictment of several officers from the shipbuilder company for allegedly paying kickbacks. – February 12, 2019.