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15 years after, High Court orders cops to complete probe into Teoh Beng Hock’s death within six months
KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 21, 2024: The High Court today gave Polis di-Raja Malaysia six months to complete its probe into the death of former political secretary Teoh Beng Hock.
This comes 15 years after Teoh was found dead in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC)’s head quarters in Shah Alam where he was held in custody.
Are the police that inefficient that it is unable to complete its investigations?
No News Is Bad News reproduces below a news report on the court proceedings:
Court orders police to complete probe into Teoh Beng Hock’s death
-21 Nov 2024, 12:09 PM
Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh orders the police force to complete its investigations within six months from today.
Teoh Beng Hock died on July 16, 2009.
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has directed the police to complete its long delayed investigations into the death of Teoh Beng Hock who died more than 15 years ago.
Justice Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh ordered the police to complete its investigations into the former political secretary’s death within six months from today.
Wan Farid made the order in judicial review proceedings brought by Teoh’s family two years ago.
The family had sought a declaration that the police’s failure to complete the probe into Teoh’s death within a reasonable timeframe was a breach of common law and statutory duties.
Wan Farid said the family’s application was not meant to frustrate the police probe into the death.
“There must be closure and finality for everything. His parents deserve justice,” he added.
The judge noted that the police had in 2019 launched an investigation under Section 342 of the Penal Code for wrongful confinement.
Prior to 2018, two special investigation teams were set up – one in 2011 and the other in 2015 – to look into Teoh’s death, but both cases were classified as requiring no further action, or “NFA”, by the public prosecutor.
“The investigation papers under Section 342 went back and forth eight times between the police and the public prosecutor.
“Up to 2023, the police were still investigating the case under further instructions from the public prosecutor,” said Wan Farid.
He also said that investigations into wrongful confinement were not “rocket science”.
“It has been more than five years since the IPs were opened.
“The delay (in probing Teoh’s case) is inordinate, it cannot be done in this manner,” said Wan Farid.
Teoh died on July 16, 2009 at the fifth floor of Plaza Masalam, Shah Alam, after being questioned for long hours by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).
An inquest into his death was held, and the coroner returned an open verdict.
However, the Court of Appeal in 2014 ruled that Teoh’s death was caused by “one or more persons unknown”, including MACC officers.
Lawyer Ramkarpal Singh appeared for Teoh’s family while federal counsel Muhairi Mohamed Noh appeared for the police.
Ramkarpal said the family welcomed today’s decision.
“It is public knowledge that the investigations have been long delayed.
“He died in 2009 and we are approaching 2025, yet we have no indication of where this is going,” he added.
Ramkarpal also said that the six-month period was binding on the police, who could be at risk of contempt if they did not complete the investigation by the given deadline.
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