[Malaysiakini] nvestigator can't confirm if Teoh wrote note
~ Aidila Razak
ASP Ahmad Nazri, the police investigating officer looking into the death of DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock, today admitted that despite the chemical department tests, he cannot conclusively say that Teoh had written the note said to be his 'final testament'.
Cross-examined by Gobind Singh Deo, who is representing Teoh's family, the police officer said that he did not verify if the sample used to compare the handwriting was actually Teoh's.
According to Ahmad Nazri (left), he had submitted a notebook and a voucher found in Teoh's bag, taken from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission office where he was interrogated before he was found dead, as samples of Teoh's writing.
But he did not check with family members or those close to Teoh if the handwriting in the notebook and on the voucher belonged to the deceased.
This is despite his testimony that the piece of evidence is a very significant part of the inquest.
Earlier he had testified that he found the note, tendered as evidence today, on Oct 7, about two months after Teoh was found dead on July 16.
Conversation with psychiatrist
He did not record it as an exhibit as he did not realise its value prior to a conversation he had with a psychiatrist.
"I had a telephone conversation with Dr Badiaah from Hospital Permai who was assisting with the psychological testing of Teoh's family. She told me that in cases of suicide, the deceased often leave notes.
"At that time I was going through all the items related to the case as I had been informed that I was going to be called to testify," he said.
He added that he had asked another Chinese police officer to translate as he suspected it could be what the doctor had mentioned, and subsequently sent it to the chemistry deparment for examination on Oct 9, upon instruction from his superiors.
Speaking to reporters later, Gobind (right) said that the matter was "mind-boggling" as it means we still do not know who the writer of the note is.
"You try to compare the note with other sets of notes, but you don't know who wrote (the sets of notes).
"If we don't know who the writer is then it should not be allowed as evidence," he said.
'Note opens another can of worms'
Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, who is representing the Selangor government, added that the authenticity of the note has opened another can of worms.
"If the note was not written by Teoh then why did it come to light and who wrote it? One can see it as a way of diverting from the truth, but it is still too early to say," Malik told reporters later.
The note, which is mainly in Chinese, reads like an apology note and is addressed to DAP Selangor chairperson Ean Yong, who was Teoh's boss.
It was locked up in Ahmad Nazri's office cabinet, along with other items found in Teoh's bag, prior to Oct 7 as the police officer thought it was "of little value".
Earlier, Ahmad Nazri testified that he had found that the window on the 14th floor was ajar, its handle missing and believed to be broken off.
"(Teoh's body) was found directly below the window," he said.
He added that a Bukit Aman forensics team ran an ultra-violet scan in the interrogation room, on the window and toilet, but found no traces of blood.
Teoh, 30, was found dead on the fifth floor landing of Plaza Masalam after an all-night interrogation by MACC in its office on the 14th floor over alleged abuse of state funds.
The inquest is adjourned to Oct 14.
Taken from Malaysiakini.
Malaysian Bar Council 
