‘Teoh’s handphone kept because of commotion at plaza’

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KUALA LUMPUR: An investigation officer from the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) told the inquiry into Teoh Beng Hock’s death that he had to keep the latter’s handphone and did not hand it over to the police because a commotion broke out at the Plaza Masalam building then.

Mohd Anuar Ismail said he did not hand over the handphone to the police immediately because he feared its safety could be jeopardised.

“I was afraid to go down because there were many members of the public and journalists filling up the lobby of the building and outside the premises.

“Some of them carried banners with the words ‘SPRM Pembunuh Rakyat Malaysia’ (MACC the Killer of a Malaysian) and their shouts could be heard at the MACC office on the 14th floor of the building,” he said.

When questioned by Appeals Court judge Datuk T Selventhiranathan why would he be scared as there were many policemen controlling the situation then, Mohd Anuar said: “I felt it was not safe then because the demonstration was beyond control.”

Mohd Anuar, who is also the Commission’s 23rd witness, said he had been directed by MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim to hand over the handphone to the police immediately after informing Hishamuddin that the handphone was on the desk in his room.

He explained that after failing to hand over the handphone to the police, he had asked an officer from MACC, named Mohan, to contact the police investigating officer to inform him of the matter, but to no avail.

Questioned by lawyer S Sivaneindiren from the Bar Council, why he had asked Mohan to contact the investigating officer, Mohd Anuar replied : “Mohan claimed he had the officer’s number.”

He denied that he had kept the handphone because he wanted to check and see whether Teoh had sent out any SMS or evidence to others.

“The handphone was found together with the sling bag on the sofa after the recording of Teoh’s conversation, and after failing to find Teoh, I had kept both the items in my room,” he said.

Mohd Anuar also disagreed with the suggestion by lawyer Cheow Wee (male), from the Bar Council, that he did not make a police report on the incident at the Plaza Masalam building because he was afraid that the existence of the handphone would be known.

Mohd Anuar explained to the Commission that he had covered the handphone after meeting his wife at home because he did not want to be disturbed with calls from other people.

The Commission of Inquiry is being chaired by Federal Court judge Tan Sri James Foong Cheng Yuen while other members of the panel are former Federal Court judge Datuk Abdul Kadir Sulaiman, Forensic Psychiatry consultant Prof Dr Mohamed Hatta Shaharom, and Forensic Pathology consultant, Department of Forensic Medicine, Penang Hospital, Datuk Dr Bhupinder Singh.

The formation of the Commission, which was announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on Jan 26, among other things aimed to determine the cause of Teoh’s death after the Coroner’s Court decided on an open verdict.

Teoh, 30, political secretary to Selangor executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was found dead at the fifth floor corridor of Plaza Masalam on July 16, 2009 after giving a statement at the MACC office on the 14th floor of the building. — Bernama