THE claim by Altantuya Shaariibuu’s cousin that she saw a photo of the Mongolian with Razak Baginda and a Malaysian deputy prime minister named Razak was disputed by defence lawyers today.

Yesterday, Burmaa Oyunchimeg, 37, while testifying in a civil lawsuit into Altantuya’s murder said she was shown the photo by Altantuya in Mongolia in the first half of 2005 but was no longer able to produce the photo.

In court today, Razak’s lawyer Manjit Singh Dhillion told Burmaa that her testimony was contradictory, and that she was never shown any photo.

“You went back to Mongolia and Altantuya showed you a picture… after you’ve spent five nights (socialising) with this man called Razak Baginda, you couldn’t identify him (in the picture)?

“I put it to you that you were never shown any picture. I put it to you that there was no such picture and I put you that this was a made up story,” Manjit said.  

Burmaa testified yesterday that in Mongolia Altantuya had shown her a photo of a trip to Paris with Razak, whom Altantuya had identified as her boyfriend. The Paris trip took place before Oyunchimeg met with Altantuya and Razak in Singapore in March 2005.

“I saw a picture of three people, two men and Altantuya. I asked her who they were and she said one was the deputy prime minister and the other was Razak who worked with him and did business together.

“I asked if they were both brothers because of the same name.

“She said no but they were best friends, business partners and worked together,” Oyunchimeg had said at the Shah Alam court in Selangor.

Buurma said she met Razak three times – the first time in Hong Kong in November or December, 2004, the second time in Shanghai in January, 2005 and the third time in Singapore on March, 2005. On all three occasions, Buurma said Altantuya was present and that Razak had paid for expenses.

On June 4, 2007, the parents of Altantuya, Dr Shaariibuu Setev and wife Altantsetseg Sanjaa and their two grandsons, Mungunshagai Bayarjargal and Altanshagai Munkhtulga, filed the RM100 million suit against two former policemen, Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar, Razak and the Malaysian government.

However, Altanshagai Munkhtulga’s name was later removed as a plaintiff as he died two years ago.

In the statement of claim, the family said that Altantuya’s death had caused them mental shock and psychological trauma, entitling them to be compensated with exemplary and aggravated damages.

Razak was charged with abetting Azilah and Sirul Azhar in the murder of Altantuya, 28, in 2006, but was acquitted by the Shah Alam High Court in October 2008 without calling for his defence, while Azilah and Sirul Azhar were convicted of the offence in 2009.

On August 23, 2013, the Court of Appeal allowed Azilah and Sirul Azhar’s appeal and acquitted them of the charge.

However, on January 13, 2015, the Federal Court allowed the prosecution’s appeal and set aside the Court of Appeal’s decision. It found Sirul Azhar and Azilah guilty and sentenced them to death by hanging.

Continuing with cross examination today, Burmaa said she was shown the photograph by Altantuya.

“I was in Mongolia, we had a casual conversation. She told me she had a good time. She was in the company of Razak Baginda.

“When we were in Mongolia, she has many pictures with Razak Baginda and there were a lot of other pictures. I asked who is this man with you. She said it was a high official, Najib Razak. I said they had the same name, Razak and asked if they are brothers.

“She said they are good friends. They are business partners and he is a high ranking official in Malaysia,” Burmaa said.

She was also asked about a photo which was shown to her in court yesterday, which she had said was not of her cousin seated with Abdul Razak and Najib.

Burmaa maintained that this second photo was fake.

“I’ve never seen that person in my life. I do not know that girl,” she said.  

Asked on what she meant by her earlier testimony that the photo she saw in Mongolia was “not exactly” the same as the second photo, Burmaa replied: “It was same two persons, the same two men sitting in that exact position, including my cousin, Altantuya.”

Burmaa said the second photo was the “worst photoshopped picture you’ve ever seen”, adding that in the photo she was allegedly shown in Mongolia by Altantuya, “all of them were smiling and looking at the camera.”

Manjit later questioned the inconsistencies in her testimony in the murder trial of Razak Baginda in 2008 and her witness statement 10 years later, where she differed in her account of when Altantuya hired a private investigator known as Mr Ang.

Burmaa had testified 10 years ago that Ang was hired in August 2006 and said in her witness statement that Ang was hired in October 2006.

“I put it to you that there was no photo, thus there was no conversation between you and Altantuya,” Manjit said.

“I disagree, 100%,” Burmaa said.  

Questioned on the whereabouts of the real photo of the trio, Burmaa replied, “Mr Ang told me the photo is with Altantuya.”

She also said she was unable to produce the photo in court.

“I don’t know what happened to the photo.”

“I put it to you that the photo never existed,” Manjit said, to which Burmaa disagreed again. – January 24, 2019.