Azilah Hadri waits for pardon for murder conviction

PETALING JAYA: Former police Special Action Unit (UTK) personnel Azilah Hadri is awaiting a Royal Pardon in a bid to escape the gallows for the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu in 2006.

In an article on Monday (Nov 13), Utusan Malaysia cited a source saying that Azilah has been transferred to the Sungai Buloh Prison, where he remains on death row while waiting for a Pardons Board decision on his death sentence.

According to the source, Azilah had been at Kajang Prison before being transferred to the Sungai Buloh prison last September.

In December 2020, Azilah's application for a review was dismissed by the Federal Court.

He had filed for a review in 2019 under Rule 137 of the Rules of the Federal Court 1995 and sought for his conviction and sentence to be set aside and for an order of retrial.

Azilah's case is back in the spotlight following the release of former policeman Sirul Azhar Umar, 51 from an immigration detention centre in Australia.

Sirul had also been sentenced to death for the murder of Altantuya.

This was confirmed by his lawyer William Levingston to the British newspaper The Guardian; he said that Sirul has been released among dozens of people after a High Court decision on Wednesday (Nov 8) but could not be deported back to Malaysia.

On Sunday (Nov 12), the Inspector-General of Police said that the possible extradition of Sirul will be discussed with the Attorney General.

Tan Sri Razarudin Husain confirmed Sirul's release from the Villawood Immigration detention centre in Sydney, Australia when contacted by Bernama.

"We will discuss the matter with the relevant parties because he has already been sentenced. Regarding extradition, it is better to ask the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC) instead

"The request for repatriation needs to be addressed by the AGC as this involves the governments of Malaysia and Australia," he said.

He added that there were no restrictions on the police meeting Sirul after his release in Australia.

"We have officers there and can meet Sirul because he has already been released," Razarudin was quoted as saying.

In 2009, the Shah Alam High Court issued the death sentence to both Sirul and chief inspector Azilah Hadri after finding both guilty of the murder of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu.

On Aug 23, 2013, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal of Azilah and Sirul, freeing them from the charges.

However, on Jan 13, 2015, the Federal Court overturned the decision to acquit Sirul and Azilah, reinstating the death penalty imposed by the High Court.

Sirul was absent from the court during the verdict as he was in Australia. Following this, the Federal Court issued a warrant for his arrest.

Australian immigration officers later detained him after Interpol issued a red notice.