Gov T Appeal Over Altantuya Murder Rescheduled

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The Federal Court has rescheduled the hearing of the government's appeal over being included as a defendant in the suit brought by Shaariibuu Setev, the father of Altantuya Shaariibuu, and her children
The hearing was rescheduled to Feb 21 next year for leave
The adjournment was sought due to the senior federal counsel having fallen ill
As a result, a case management was held before the registrar and the court fixed the date
Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo told this development to Malaysiakini
It was previously reported that the High Court had allowed the government's application to strike out but this was reinstated by the Court of Appeal in March this year, resulting in the present leave to appeal application
The family had filed an RM100 million lawsuit in 2008 against Azilah Hadri, Sirul Azhar Umar, political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda and the government, for Altantuya's murder in 2006
Azilah and Sirul had been convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. However, Sirul is now in detention in Australia while Azilah is in Kajang prison.The hearing of the civil suit is scheduled for next January after the Shah Alam High Court ruled the plaintiffs had to prove again that the two police officers and the government are liable for murder
Justice Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, in making the ruling, had said that his court is bound by Section 43 of the Evidence Act, whereby proceedings in the criminal trial in the Federal Court judgment, which had found Azilah and Sirul guilty of her murder, cannot be used in civil proceedings. - Mkini

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