Witness testifies on handling of evidence in senior cop murder trial
On Dec 18, 2023, instructions were issued for the investigation papers to be transferred to ASP S. Dasarathan, but he was still tasked to assist the new investigating officer.
IPOH - A police officer testified in the High Court here today that he received evidence, including closed-circuit television (CCTV) and dashcam footage, the victim's clothing and police and chemical reports related to a December 2023 case that involved a senior police officer allegedly colliding with a student's motorcycle.
The 32nd prosecution witness, Inspector Chua Sze Yuan, who was the initial investigating officer from the Criminal Investigation Division at the Ipoh District Police Headquarters (IPD) said the evidence was handed over by Traffic Investigation Officer Inspector Jong Pit Chao on Dec 16, 2023, a day after the collision.
"I can identify the CCTV footage from House No. 92, Laluan Meru Indah, G2, Gerbang Meru Indah, Ipoh, Perak, as well as the footage from House No. 19, Laluan F2, Gerbang Meru Indah (1 Meru), Ipoh.
"I then stored all the evidence in a clothing cabinet and placed blood and urine specimens in a refrigerator in my securely locked office," he said.
Chua was reading his witness statement before Judge Datuk Bhupindar Singh Gucharan Singh Preet during the trial of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohd Nazri Abdul Razak, 46, who is charged with the murder of 17-year-old Muhammad Zaharif along Jalan Taman Jati 1 near Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Jati, between 11.45am and 12.32pm on Dec 15, 2023.
Chua added that on Dec 18, 2023, instructions were issued for the investigation papers to be transferred to ASP S. Dasarathan, but he was still tasked to assist the new investigating officer.
"On Dec 19, 2023, I received instructions from ASP Dasarathan to assist him in sending the CCTV recordings, marked as evidence AC1 and AC2, to the Royal Malaysia Police Forensic Lab, and the blood specimens to the Chemistry Department in Petaling Jaya," he said.
The prosecution was led by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Afzainizam Abdul Aziz, while Mohd Nazri was represented by lawyers M. Athimulan, Datuk Mior Faridalathrash Wahid and Aiman Hakim Kamaruzzaman, alongside lawyer Syaheera Rosli, who was watching brief. - BERNAMA