Latest news with #Smit
New Straits Times
14 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Ivana Smit's death: Timeline of 8-year battle ends with RM1.1mil award, fresh probe
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today awarded RM1.1 million in damages to the mother of the late Dutch model Ivana Esther Robert Smit, after ruling that the police had been negligent in handling the investigation into her daughter's death in 2017. Here is the timeline of the case: Dec 17, 2017 Smit was found dead at CapSquare Residence after being at the home of an American couple, Alexander William Johnson and Laura Almazkyzy. She had fallen from the 20th floor, and her naked body was discovered on a sixth-floor balcony at 10am. March 29, 2018 Following the incident, the couple, Alexander William Johnson and Laura Almazkyzy, were charged under Section 15(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 for drug consumption. They later left the country after the legal proceedings. Aug 8, 2018 The inquest into Smit's death officially began at the Coroner's Court in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 22 witnesses were called. March 8, 2019 Coroner Mahyon Talib ruled Ivana's death a misadventure, stating there was no evidence of foul play or criminal element. March 11, 2019 Smit's mother, Christina Carolina Gerarda Johanna Verstappen, filed an appeal against the coroner's ruling at the High Court as she believed the finding was inaccurate and failed to reflect the true circumstances of her death. Nov 22, 2019 The then High Court Judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah delivered his ruling when he overturned the coroner's misadventure verdict and replaced it with a finding of "death by a person or persons unknown." He also directed the Attorney‑General's Chambers to instruct the police to reopen the investigation. Nov 20, 2020 Verstappen filed her civil lawsuit against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the case's investigating officer, Assistant Superintendent Faizal Abdullah, the Home Minister, and the Malaysian government as defendants. She claimed the defendants failed to carry out their statutory duties and were negligent in their investigation into the death of her daughter. July 29, 2025 Verstappen was awarded RM1.1 million in damages after the court ruled there was negligence by the police in handling the investigation into her daughter's death in 2017. The court also ordered the police to recommence the investigation and to brief the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) every three months on the progress of the investigation. The A-GC is to determine the sufficiency of the evidence and the next course of action.
The Star
15 hours ago
- The Star
'The monsters who killed Ivana won't rest easy', says deceased Dutch model's family after verdict
KUALA LUMPUR: The family of deceased Dutch model Ivana Smit is vindicated by the High Court's decision that held the police, the government and two others liable over the failures in her death investigation. In a press statement via the family's lawyer Datuk Sankara Nair, Smit's uncle Fred Agenjo Weinhold said that the family was 'very content' with the judge's decision on Tuesday (July 29). 'The money awarded is of no consequence, it is far more important that we receive recognition from Malaysia that we are not crazy for saying what we have been saying for almost eight years. 'We won't get Ivana back, but at least we have the satisfaction that a new investigation was ordered and the monsters responsible cannot rest easy,' he said. Meanwhile, Sankara commended the court's decision for issuing exemplary and unprecedented mandamus orders, which included the removal of the second defendant (ASP Faizal Abdullah) from the investigating team, the reopening of the investigation into Smit's death, and the instruction for quarterly progress reports to be submitted to the Attorney General's Chambers with mandate for the AGC to take appropriate and successive prosecutorial action. 'These structural and supervisory remedies demonstrate the court's clear intent to ensure accountability is no longer delayed or denied,' Sankara said. He also urged the AGC to consider the public interest, the pain endured by the family and the integrity of the court's decision in its consideration to appeal the High Court's decision. On Tuesday, High Court judge Justice Roz Mawar Rozain awarded Smit's mother, Christina Carolina Gerarda Johanna Verstappen, RM1.1mil for general, aggravated and exemplary damages in her lawsuit against the defendants over her daughter's death.
![[UPDATED] High Court orders police to reopen investigation into Dutch model Ivana Smit's death](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.nst.com.my%2Fimages%2Farticles%2FKL_HIGH_COURT290725_1753762806.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
New Straits Times
17 hours ago
- New Straits Times
[UPDATED] High Court orders police to reopen investigation into Dutch model Ivana Smit's death
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court has ordered the police to recommence the investigation into the death of Dutch model Ivana Esther Robert Smit, who was found dead after falling from the 20th floor of a condominium here in 2017. Judge Roz Mawar Rozain also ordered the police to brief the Attorney-General's Chambers (A-GC) every three months on the progress of the investigation. The A-GC is to determine the sufficiency of the evidence and the next course of action. Roz Mawar said this in her judgment after awarding Smit's mother, Christina Carolina Gerarda Johanna Verstappen, RM1.1 million in damages against the Inspector-General of Police, the case's investigating officer, and the government. She said police had been negligent in their investigation and had failed to comply with a 2019 High Court order to properly reinvestigate the case. In 2019, then High Court judge Datuk Collin Lawrence Sequerah directed A-GC to order the police to investigate the cause of Ivana's death, after setting aside the inquest verdict that classified her death as a 'misadventure' and reclassifying it as death caused by a person or persons known or unknown. She said the 2019 High Court order was clear and straightforward, as it directed the case to be reclassified as a death caused by person or persons unknown and required the A-GC to instruct the police to reopen the investigation as a murder case. Roz Mawar said following the previous High Court order, the police had established a specialised task force to re-investigate the case. "This court observes that the defendants failed to ensure the effective operation and accountability of this investigative mechanism. "The evidence indicates that the task force did not produce substantive results or provide meaningful updates to the interested parties, particularly the plaintiff and the deceased's family. "The court recognises that investigations may take time to yield results, but the apparent lack of transparency and accountability in the task force's operations, combined with the absence of any demonstrable progress or communication, suggests a failure to properly manage and execute the reinvestigation mandate. "This conduct, when viewed alongside the earlier investigative deficiencies, demonstrates a pattern of deficient performance of statutory duties that has resulted in prejudice to the plaintiff's legitimate interests in obtaining closure and understanding regarding her daughter's tragic death," she said in her judgment today. However, Roz Mawar stressed that her findings should not be seen as a criticism of the police force as a whole. She said the judgment highlights specific institutional failures that need to be addressed, rather than casting blame on the entire force. "The awards are meant to serve both compensatory and deterrent purposes, underscoring the need for public authorities to carry out their duties with proper diligence and accountability." Smit, who was at the home of American couple Alexander William Johnson and Laura Almazkyzy, was allegedly partying with the couple before she fell to her death. She fell from the 20th floor, and her naked body was found on a sixth-floor balcony at 10am. Smit, who had dual Dutch and Belgian citizenship, was the second runner-up in the Malaysia Supermodel Search 2014 when she was 15.
The Star
19 hours ago
- The Star
Court orders govt to pay RM1.1mil to family of Dutch model who fell to her death
KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court here has ordered the government to pay RM1.1mil to the family of Dutch model Ivana Smit who died in a fall from a condominium eight years ago. Justice Roz Mawar Rozain, in her decision, said the defendants in the lawsuit had failed to conduct a proper investigation into Smit's death. She said the court had found there were 'breaches of statutory duty'. Smit, then 18, was found dead on the sixth floor of CapSquare Residence on Dec 7, 2017, after falling from the 20th floor of a condominium unit owned by an American couple. MORE TO COME
The Sun
7 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Trump's support boosts deep-sea mining in Cook Islands by 2030
RAROTONGA: A leading deep-sea mining firm in the Cook Islands is targeting commercial production by 2030, buoyed by former US President Donald Trump's endorsement of the controversial industry. Moana Minerals plans to extract polymetallic nodules—rich in cobalt, nickel, and manganese—from the South Pacific seabed amid growing environmental concerns. Trump's executive order earlier this year aimed at unlocking deep-sea mineral resources has given the industry fresh momentum. 'What he's done is tasked his people to go and look at it seriously,' said Moana Minerals CEO Hans Smit. 'It certainly is helpful that we are engaging with a lot of people that in the past would not give us the time of day. But they are listening.' The US and China are both vying for dominance in deep-sea mining, seen as a key source of critical minerals for batteries and military tech. The Cook Islands, home to one of the world's largest polymetallic nodule deposits, signed a contentious mining deal with China this year. Smit dismissed critics of the partnership, saying, 'If you want to counter the Chinese, get off your arse and do something proactive.' Kiribati, another Pacific nation, is also exploring a deep-sea mining agreement with China, which already controls major mineral deposits. Smit remains optimistic about launching industrial-scale mining before 2030, despite regulatory hurdles. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has yet to finalize mining regulations, prompting Canada's The Metals Company to consider exploiting US loopholes to mine international waters. Smit acknowledged their frustration but stressed the need for clearer rules. The Cook Islands government supports deep-sea mining but remains cautious. 'We believe that the Cook Islands government and the people can make an informed decision,' said spokesman Edward Herman. - AFP
