SHAH ALAM, April 9 — Policemen Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri and Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar were today sentenced to death by the High Court for murdering Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu, ending one of the longest trials in Malaysian history.
Azilah, 33, and Sirul, 37, were found guilty of killing Altantuya, 28, and then blowing up her body in a jungle clearing at nearby Bukit Raja between 10pm on Oct 19, 2006 and 1am the next day.
The two members of the Bukit Aman Special Action Squad (UTK) were charged under Section 149 of the Penal Code, which carries the mandatory death sentence upon conviction.
On Oct 31 last year, the same court acquitted political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, 48, of abetting them in the murder, which drew intense international scrutiny due to its tenuous link to newly-minted Prime Minister Datuki Seri Najib Razak.
The former aide to the then deputy premier walked free without ever having to enter his defence and has since moved to Britain.
The courtroom was full with media and family members of the two accused but not as packed as Razak's verdict day. Azilah looked relaxed earlier, smiling to his fiancee and family. He even sprayed himself with cologne. Sirul only appeared at the last minute. -- The Malaysian Insider
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