Trial Continues
Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar were ordered to enter their defence and testify under oath. On 10 November 2008 it was announced that the murder trial has been postponed to January 2009 in order to allow the defence more time to prepare and gather witnesses. The witnesses sought included Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Kamarudin and private investigator P. Balasubramaniam, who was unlocatable at that time.
The request by the defence counsel for Sirul Azhar and Azilah to get statements from all prosecution witnesses was rejected with the reason given that "witness statements recorded under Section 112 of the Criminal Procedure Code is privileged". This would have included the witness statement of Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's former aide-de-camp DSP Musa Safri, which would have been used to rebut Abdul Razak's affidavit.
On 3 February 2009 Sirul Azhar pleaded with the court to not pass the death sentence on him, as he was like "a black sheep that has to be sacrificed" to protect unnamed people who have never been brought to court or faced questioning. "I have no reason to cause hurt, what's more to take the life of the victim in such a cruel manner .... I appeal to the court, which has the powers to determine if I live or die, not to sentence me so as to fulfil others' plans for me."
Read more about this topic: Murder Of Shaariibuugiin Altantuyaa
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