Teoh Beng Hock case may reopen if new evidence emerges, says Azalina

New Straits Times

2 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: The investigation into the death of Teoh Beng Hock may be revisited if new developments emerge in the future, despite the case being classified as No Further Action (NFA).
Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said this is because criminal cases are not bound by any statute of limitations.
"Unlike civil cases, criminal cases are not subject to any statute of limitations.
"As such, if new developments arise in the future, further investigation and a review of the case may still be carried out," she said in a written parliamentary reply.
Azalina (BN-Pengerang) said this in response to Lim Guan Eng (PH-Bagan), who had enquired about the reasons for the Attorney-General's Chambers' (A-GC) decision to classify the case as NFA.
Meanwhile, she also said that while the police had established a special investigation team to reopen the probe into Teoh's death following the Court of Appeal's 2014 decision to set aside the coroner's open verdict, there was insufficient evidence to support any criminal charge against any individual.
"As such, NFA directive has been issued by the A-GC in relation to this investigation paper, and this matter was also explained in the A-GC's media statement dated May," she said.
In May, the Teoh Beng Hock Association for Democratic Advancement revealed that Teoh's death has classified as NFA.
Following the revelation, the AG-C said that there was insufficien t evidence to prove any offence against any individual under the law.
Teoh was found dead on July 16, 2009, at the Plaza Masalam building after giving a statement to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) office on the 14th floor of the same building.
He was the political secretary to then Seri Kembangan assemblyman Ean Yong Hian Wah, who was the Selangor executive councillor for local government, legalisation of illegal factories, and new village development.
On Jan 5, 2011, the Shah Alam Coroner's Court ruled that Teoh's death in 2009 was not due to suicide or murder, and found that there was no third party in his death case.
On July 21, 2011, the Royal Commission of Inquiry formed to investigate Teoh's death ruled that his death was due to suicide.
On Sept 5, 2014, the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling on Teoh's death, ruling that his death was the result of unlawful acts by one or more unknown persons.