SHAH ALAM: Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer, Raub Ghani, who had lodged a police report against a Thai pathologist for disclosing an autopsy report on the death of Teoh Beng Hock, will not be cited for contempt of court.Coroner Azmil Muntapha Abas made the decision after dismissing the application by Teoh’s elder brother, Meng Kee, that the officer be cited for contempt of court.
The decision was made after the court took into consideration the fact that the Attorney-General would not prosecute Dr Pornthip Rajanasunand on the charge of leaking the forensic report on the former political aide, to a local tabloid newspaper, Suara Keadilan.
“In this case, Raub Ghani had already lodged the police report and investigation had been carried out by the police on the allegation.
“However, the power to prosecute lies with the Attorney-General, and the Attorney-General is satisfied that there is no case against Dr Pornthip,” said the coroner.
Azmil said he had also taken into consideration the extensive submission made by counsel Karpal Singh, representing Meng Kee, and counsel Datuk Abdul Razak Musa, for the MACC, on Jan 15 and 22 before arriving at the decision.
On Jan 15, counsel Tan Hock Chuan, representing the Malaysian government, had told the inquest proceedings that Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail had found no basis to prosecute Dr Pornthip on the charge.
Tan had also submitted that the Inspector-General of Police had also given an assurance not to detain or obstruct Dr Pornthip from testifying in court.
Raub Ghani, 41, and Hisyam Mohd Yusoff, 30, had lodged police reports on the article entitled “Pornthip sahkan Beng Hock dibunuh” (Pornthip confirms Beng Hock was murdered) which was published by Suara Keadilan on Dec 29, 2009 – 5 Jan, 2010.
Following the police report, Meng Kee had filed a notice of motion on the contempt of court against Raub on Jan 5 as he claimed that the police report lodged by the MACC officer was to scare and threaten Dr Pornthip so as not to testify on the second autopsy on Beng Hock.
Following the court decision yesterday, the inquest proceedings will resume on Feb 19.
Beng Hock, who was a political aide to Selangor state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead on July 16 last year on the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam, here after he had given a statement as a witness into the misuse of Selangor government funds, at the Selangor MACC headquarters at the building. — Bernama