SHAH ALAM: The government and political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda have been ordered by the High Court to deposit over RM9mil in damages into the account of the law firm representing the family of the late Mongolian woman, Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Lawyer Sangeet Kaur Deo, representing Altantuya’s family, said Judicial Commissioner M. Sumathi, however, granted a conditional stay application by the Malaysian government and Abdul Razak as defendants regarding the payment pertaining to the lawsuit against them by Altantuya’s family.
“The court ordered both defendants to each deposit RM4.702mil, including interest and RM25,000 in costs, into the account of Karpal Singh & Co law firm within 30 days from today (Wednesday), pending the disposal of their (defendants’) appeal in the Court of Appeal,” Sangeet said when contacted.
According to her, the appeal by the government and Razak Baginda against the lawsuit ruling is scheduled to be heard on May 19.
Meanwhile, Senior Federal Counsel Samiah Rhazali and Nik Mohd Noor Nik Kar, representing the government, confirmed the matter when contacted.
Altantuya’s parents, Dr Shaariibuu Setev and Altantsetseg Sanjaa, along with their grandson Mungunshagai Bayarjargal, filed a RM100mil lawsuit on June 4, 2007, naming two former Special Action Unit (UTK) officers, C/Insp Azilah Hadri and Kpl Sirul Azhar Umar, as well as Abdul Razak and the government as defendants.
On Dec 16 last year, then High Court judge Justice Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, who is now a Court of Appeal judge, ruled in favour of the family and ordered the defendants to jointly pay RM5mil in general, aggravated, and exemplary damages to the family.
The judge also ordered all four defendants to pay RM25,000 each in costs.
In their statement of claim, the family contended that Altantuya’s death caused them mental shock and psychological trauma, entitling them to aggravated and exemplary damages.
Altantuya was murdered between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006, and 1 am on Oct 20, 2006, in a secondary jungle near Puncak Alam in Selangor.
Azilah and Sirul Azhar were convicted of her murder.
