Murder, Lawyers and a Whole Lotta Crap

Update! The AG says the trial is postponed ‘cos Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Salehuddin Saidin who was leading the prosecution team had been seen playing badminton with trial judge Datuk Mohd Zaki Md Yasin. - Bernama

Aiyo!! Why laa? One little badminton game between two legal types, a giant mistake culminating in postponement of trial. Thing is, why was this not brought to the AG’s attention earlier.

However, I “like” this sudden attention to ethics on the judiciary and AG’s Chambers’ parts. There was a time in the Malaysia’s recent past lawyers and judges could on a holiday together.

What the bloody hell is going on with the Altantuya Shaaribuu murder trial? The trial was supposed to start today but an update from The Star says this…

The Shah Alam High Court has postponed the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder trial to June 18 to allow the new prosecution team time to prepare its case.

Here are the cast of the big drama that started who knows when and came to an explosive first climax with the blowing up of a Mongolian national’s body.

First there was a slew of changes in the defence teams of the three accused. On the eve of the trial, a new prosecution team comes into the picture. Why at this late juncture?

I have abstained from speculating about the case on my blog since it first broke, juicy though the gossip was and the conspiracy theories that came up was worthy of international thrillers.

However, a trial date in 2008 that was brought forward, baffling outbursts by accused Abdul Razak Baginda’s wife, lawyer Shafee Abdullah’s initial steadfastness over his client’s (Razak) innocence and later discharging of himself (all these were reported in the media mind you) ….all these posed too much questions that I can’t ignore.

So now the trial is postponed for a month. Am not surprised if at the next trial date some more glitches will come up and more postponements happen. So are you surprised by the second para in The Star’s report today?

In the meantime, her family has filed an RM100mil civil suit against the Government of Malaysia as well as the three defendants in her murder trial which began Monday.

The delay in trial is not only unfair to the victim’s family but also the three accused, whose innocence is to be presumed until they are proven guilty.

Wasn’t it William Gladstone who who said that Justice Delayed, is Justice Denied? Well, I’d like to add this. Justice Postponed is Justice Perverted!