A CRUCIAL witness in missing Amri Che Mat’s Suhakam public inqury is expected to be charged with failing to attend the hearing.

The inqury was told that Saiful Afdzan, the owner of Mak Lang restaurant in Perlis, had refused to attend the hearing citing losses to his business.

The panel had heard that Saiful saw the abduction that occurred across from his restaurant.

Amri’s family aide, Sheryll Stothard, said Saiful was summoned by Suhakam last year.

“The inquiry heard that he didn’t want to come because he said he would suffer losses,” she said after the inquiry today.

Suhakam officers had lodged a police report on March 22 at the Sentul Police District headquarters against Saiful for failing to attend the hearing.

The panel was told that he is expected to be charged and the investigation papers have been sent to the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent headquarters.

Sentul Police Chief R. Munusamy said Saiful will be charged under Section 174 of the Penal Code for non-attendance in obedience to an order from a public servant.

“We will be issuing Saiful a court summons to attend the hearing,” he said.

Amri was allegedly being investigated for spreading Shia teachings.

He went missing on November 24, 2016 and was believed to have been abducted by a group of people in four-wheel drives that were seen surrounding his car in Kg Padang Behor.

Suhakam is conducting a public inquiry into the disappearance of Amri, Pastor Raymond Koh, Pastor Joshua Hilmy and Joshua’s wife, Ruth, to ascertain if they are cases of enforced disappearance. – July 23, 2018.