KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — The Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy today urged authorities to look into any criminal elements involved in the death of Teoh Beng Hock now that the case has been reopened.
The group in a statement today said they are seeking a murder or culpable homicide charge if the perpetrators are found and proven to have caused Teoh’s death.
Yesterday investigators issued a statement that they are set to call 19 officers from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) in relation to the case.
Teoh was the former political aide to Ean Yong Hian Wah who was then a member of the Selangor state legislative assembly and state executive council.
“We call on the police to actively search for evidence to identify the perpetrators who caused the wound on Teoh’s neck which could have led to his death.
“The wound on Teoh’s neck clearly indicated that the case has criminal elements, therefore the police should not merely investigate along the line of wrongful confinement,” the group led by chairman Ng Geok Chee said in a statement.
Teoh was found dead on the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam, Selangor, on July 16, 2009, after giving a statement at the former MACC office located on the 14th floor of the same building.
On January 5, 2011, the coroner’s court ruled that Teoh’s death was neither suicide nor homicide.
This led to Teoh’s brother, Meng Kee, filing an appeal against the open verdict, which was dismissed by the High Court on December 1.
Meng Kee filed a second appeal to the Court of Appeal on February 10, 2012.
The Court of Appeal had on September 5, 2014, set aside the coroner’s open verdict.
A three-man panel, chaired by judge Tan Sri Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof, ruled that Teoh’s death was caused by multiple injuries from a fall from the 14th floor of Plaza Masalam due to or accelerated by unlawful acts by unknown persons inclusive of the MACC officers involved in his investigation.
“The three judges unanimously ruled that one or more unknown persons caused the death of Teoh. The verdict was largely based on the pre-fall injury on Teoh’s neck.
“Therefore, should the police refuse to probe the criminal elements in the case, it will be a violation of rules of the law in the country,” Ng said.
“Teoh Beng Hock Trust for Democracy once again appeals to the police to look into the two police reports lodged by the organisation, as well as the Bar Council’s RCI (Royal Commission of Inquiry) watch report.
“The 10 MACC officers named in the police reports should be charged for either murder or culpable homicide,” she said.
