Court to hear duo's appeal in Altantuya murder on Oct 31

PUTRAJAYA: The two former police Special Action Squad commandos sentenced to death for the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu had their appeal rescheduled to Oct 31 and Nov 1.
Court of Appeal deputy registrar N. Kanageswari fixed the new dates following an application by C/Insp Azilah Hadri's lawyer J.Kuldeep Kumar to vacate the initial hearing dates which were on Aug 27 and Aug 28.
Azilah's lawyers had applied for the adjournment due to the unsuitability of the dates falling right after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Kuldeep said he and co-counsel Datuk Hazman Ahmad also needed more time to prepare for the appeal as there were 65 volumes of appeal records.
Hari Raya Adifiltri is expected to fall on Aug 19 and 20.
Meanwhile, Azilah may also include additional grounds in his petition of appeal. On April 30 this year, the Court of Appeal allowed Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar to add another six grounds to the existing nine in his petition of appeal.
The case came up for management before Kanageswari Friday.
Appearing for the prosecution was Attorney-General's Chambers, head of appeals unit, Manoj Kurup with Nurhidayah Mohd Razali representing Sirul Azhar.
Azilah, 34, and Sirul Azhar, 39, were convicted and sentenced to death by the Shah Alam High Court in 2009 for murdering Altantuya, 28, at Mukim Raja between 9.45pm on Oct 18, 2006 and 9.45pm the following day.
Political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, 50, was also charged with abetting the duo but was acquitted by the High Court on Oct 31, 2008, on the basis that there was no prima facie case against him. - Bernama 

Review:
WHAT   : Appeal in Altantuya murder hear
WHO     : Kuldeep and Datuk Hazman Ahmad
WHY     : needed more time to prepare for the appeal as there were 65 volumes of appeal records
WHEN   : rescheduled to Oct 31 and Nov 1
WHERE : Court of Appeal
 HOW    : Coury of Appeal deputy registrar N.Kanageswari fixed the new dates

Factors of Newsworthy : Human Interest