NewzActivist Amri Che Mat, founder of the NGO Perlis Hope, went missing after leaving his home at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016. (File pic)PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has dismissed an application by Amri Che Mat's family to set aside an order staying the recommencement of a police investigation into the activist's disappearance.Justice Alwi Abdul Wahab held that the appellate court had no reason to interfere with the judicial commissioner's exercise of discretion."This will not prejudice the wife's (Norhayati Ariffin) pursuit of justice (for Amri). It is just a temporary delay," he said.The other judges who sat with him were Justices Shahnaz Sulaiman and Amarjeet Singh.
No order was made regarding costs.Last year, the High Court found the police liable for breaching their statutory duties and acting unconstitutionally in the probe into Amri's disappearance.It ordered the government to pay RM2 million in general damages, RM1 million in exemplary damages, as well as special damages of RM14,457.52 to his family.However, the enforcement of the judgment was stayed pending the government's appeal to the Court of Appeal, which will be heard on Nov 30.Amri, founder of the NGO Perlis Hope, left his home at about 11.30pm on Nov 24, 2016. His car was found at a construction site at the Bukit Cabang Sports School in Perlis early the next morning.Norhayati later sued the government and the police over the manner in which they investigated his disappearance.Lawyer Surendra Ananth appeared for Norhayati while senior federal counsel Zetty Zurina Kamaruddin represented the government and police.Earlier today, Surendra told the court that all Norhayati wanted was closure regarding Amri's whereabouts and for the court to order a fresh investigation to commence with a new team of officers, as this would provide some accountability."The High Court also made a finding that since the task force report was completed in 2020, nothing was done by the police (to further probe Amri's disappearance)."The investigating officer (Khor Yi Shuen) who admitted negligence was even promoted to senior officer," he added.Zetty however insisted that the police had never closed its investigation.On Nov 30, the Court of Appeal will also hear both parties' arguments on the correctness of the High Court order to remove Khor and several officers from Amri's case. Pastor Raymond Koh's wife, Susanna Liew, filed a suit against the police and the government over the state’s involvement in his disappearance and the manner in which the authorities investigated the case.PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal here today dismissed a bid by Pastor Raymond Koh's family to set aside the suspension of a RM37 million-plus judgment awarded to them over his disappearance nine years ago.Justice Alwi Abdul Wahab held that the High Court, which suspended the enforcement of the judgment sum, was legally right to make such an order."We acknowledge that the trial judge ordered a sum of RM10,000 per day to be paid by the government to Koh from the date he disappeared (Feb 13, 2017) until the authorities can determine his whereabouts."Refusing a stay (suspension) of the judgment sum pending the government's appeal would force public funds to be dispersed.
This is structurally impractical," he said.Other judges who sat with him were Justices Shahnaz Sulaiman and Amarjeet Singh. No order was made as to costs.Alwi said they were also maintaining the stay order on Koh's investigations.He said the issue of whether a court could make an order to remove investigating officer Supari Muhammad and other officers from probing the case should be determined in the appeal.The government's appeal against the decisions on Koh and missing activist Amri Che Mat will be heard on Nov 30.Koh was abducted on Feb 13, 2017 while he was driving along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya. During the trial, the court heard that five masked men in black military outfits had pulled Koh out of his car.His wife, Susanna Liew, filed a suit against the police and the government over the state’s involvement in his disappearance and the manner in which the authorities investigated the case.Koh's family was represented by lawyers Jerald Gomez and Steven Thiru while senior federal counsel Zureen Elina Dom appeared for the government.Earlier today, Gomez told the court that there was nothing wrong with the lower court issuing the order for the investigation to continue while the government pursues its appeal."The order was made in accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code, with some defendants like Supari being excluded," he said.However, Zureen maintained that the police are still investigating Koh's case today."It was just the conditions imposed (such as Supari's removal) that we took i…
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