Teoh was not allowed to leave, MACC man admits

SHAH ALAM, Oct 14 — Selangor MACC deputy director Hishamuddin Hashim told the coroner’s court here today that witnesses called for questioning, including Teoh Beng Hock, are not allowed to leave any interview without the investigating officer’s consent.

He said that while witnesses are not under arrest, they are also not free to leave the interviews.

Hishamuddin, who had been implicated in a “mystery letter” alleging political collusion in investigating the Pakatan Rakyat state government, also denied he met Teoh even though he was in the office during the time he was questioned.

Teoh, the 30-year-old political secretary to state executive councillor Ean Yong Hian Wah, was mysteriously found dead on a 5th-floor landing outside the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission’s

Selangor office at Plaza Masalam here on July 16, after being questioned overnight into claims his boss abused state money.

His family and employer claim foul play was involved.

Hishamuddin told the court today that he had worked until 2am the night Teoh was being questioned, and had decided to stay on until 5.45am when he finally left the office.

He denied testimony provided by another MACC officer earlier that he had been seen in the office on the morning of July 16, around the time Teoh is said to have died.

Senior assistant enforcer Raymond Nion John Timban, said to be the last man to see Teoh alive, had testified that he had seen Hishamuddin and two other MACC officers on the morning of July 16. (tmi)