KUALA LUMPUR, May 12 — Putrajaya has agreed to pay the family of Teoh Beng Hock RM600,000 in damages and RM60,000 in cost, ending six years of legal tussle after Teoh died in Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s (MACC) custody.

The defendants — 10 MACC officers, the MACC and the government of Malaysia — had today admitted in the Kuala Lumpur High Court to negligence on their part resulting in Teoh’s death in 2009.

“The family said in court today that they accept the payment to the extent of the claim for negligence and that they stand by the decision of the Court of Appeal recently and demanded that police conduct further investigations into the matter and charge those persons responsible for his death.

“I think this is a great victory for the Teoh family. After six years of legal battles, they now have an acknowledgment by the MACC and government that they are responsible for his death,” said lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, who represented the family, in a statement.

Gobind said that the family will however continue to push the police for action, as they have exhausted their options in the legal system.

He also explained that he had represented the family pro bono on behalf of the DAP National Legal Bureau, and will not be taking any part of the compensation.

The Court of Appeal ruled last September that Teoh did not commit suicide and directed the Attorney-General’s Chamber (AGC) to reopen investigations into his death while in MACC custody back in 2009.

In response, the AGC said then it would prosecute those responsible for the 30-year-old’s death, but noted that the “thorough” police investigation into the demise of Teoh, who was then Ean Yong Hian Wah’s political secretary, did not find any criminal liability.

Both the MACC and the AGC previously cleared the three MACC officers whom the Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) had pinpointed as driving Teoh to suicide because of their “oppressive, prolonged and aggressive” interrogation.

The RCI headed by former Court of Appeal judge Tan Sri Steve Shim had recommended that MACC take action against the trio.