Charging of previously cleared suspect raises more questions in missing pastor's case

Noel Achariam Noel Achariam Updated 8 years ago · Published on 16 Jan 2018 8:40PM · 2 Comments

Suhakam commissioner Mah Weng Kwai (centre) confers with the Koh family’s lawyers before the start of the scheduled inquiry into the pastor’s disappearance, which was subsequently called off, today. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Kamal Ariffin, January 16, 2018.

THE suspect who was yesterday charged with kidnapping Pastor Raymond Koh had previously been arrested for attempting to extort money from the missing man’s son but was cleared of any involvement in the actual kidnapping, said a lawyer for the pastor’s family.

Lawyer Gurdial Singh expressed surprise when he found out that the same suspect had been charged with kidnapping, just as Suhakam was about to resume a public inquiry into the disappearance of Koh and three others.

Earlier today, Suhakam commissioner Mah Weng Kwai, who heads the inquiry panel, told the hearing that the commission yesterday received a letter from the police stating that a suspect had been arrested and charged with kidnapping Koh in the Petaling Jaya court.

As such, the inquiry would cease, Mah said.

Part-time driver Lam Chang Nam, from Taman Sri Ampang, Ipoh, was arrested last year for attempting to extort RM30,000 from Koh’s son, Jonathan. 

Lam’s lawyer, Aaron Mark Pius, said the extortion case was set for trial and the first witness had been called and had testified.

Pius said he was shocked when Lam was charged with kidnapping on Monday. 

Gurdial told The Malaysian Insight that police had said in a news report in March last year that Lam, a Uber driver, was not involved in Koh’s abduction.

“During the public inquiry, the former inspector-general of police (Khalid Abu Bakar) and Selangor CID chief SAC (Fadzil Ahmat) had, under oath, said that this person (Lam) was not involved at all.

“We were wondering what has happened as the police observers did not turn up today (for the scheduled hearing). We could not get an explanation from them for what has happened to cause this turn of events.

“I am surprised that the inquiry was suspended because of this,” Gurdial said.

Mah said Suhakam would continue with the inquiry into the disappearance of Amri Che Mat, Pastor Joshua and Ruth Hilmy.

“We will continue with their cases when the inquiry resumes,” he said.

The Suhakam panel aims to determine whether Koh’s abduction as well as the disappearance of the three others in 2016 are cases of enforced disappearances sanctioned by the state.

Mah and two more Suhakam commissioners, Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleha, make up the panel of inquiry.  – January 16, 2018.


 

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Comments

  • Latest turn of events, lead to sound like a scam and an attempt to derail the Suhakam enquiry! Looks like someone is scared and been expose and the law is not acting as it's suppose to be base on testimony from the Police under oath statements. Again, looks like our Forces has an integrity issues and all this leads me to believe there's a major cover-up ... Looking from the chain of events leading to the recent arrest! Only in Bolehland this sort of drama is possible. Let the truth prevail, I suppose!!!!

    Posted 8 years ago by Crishan Veera · Reply