Ahmad Sarbani’s Family Sues MACC, Govt For RM8 Million
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- Published on Friday, 04 April 2014 17:51
Plaintiff lawyers N. Surendran (left) and Sasha Lyna Abdul Latip (right) discussing the suit against MACC and the government with Maziah Manap, at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex in Jalan Duta, today. — TRP pic by Azrol AliKUALA LUMPUR: The family of the Customs assistant director, who was found dead in the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Building in Jalan Cochrane here three years ago, filed a RM8 million suit against the anti-graft body and the government at Jalan Duta High Court today.
Ahmad Sarbani Mohamed’s lawyers are also suing MACC’s Chief Commissioner Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed and six of its officers over the “unlawful death” in 2011.
Lawyers N. Surendran and Sasha Lyna Abdul Latif filed the suit today on behalf of Ahmad Sarbani’s wife, Maziah @ Maziah Manap, and their son Shahril Ahmad Sarbani.
The plaintiffs claim the defendants committed assault and battery on Ahmad Sarbani, then 56, adding that negligence was also involved, that led to his death.
Surendran, during a press conference at the venue today, said the defendants should also be held accountable for causing Ahmad Sarbani to fall from the window of the MACC’s office in Cheras.
“Will a top customs officer deliberately climb and simply walk for fun on the ledge?
“We are also looking for more proof as to what happened in the MACC building.”
Maziah, who was also present, said she believed her husband was innocent and demanded to know the truth.
Ahmad Sarbani, who was attached to the Port Klang Customs Department, was found dead on the first floor badminton court of the MACC building in Jalan Cochrane, on April 6, 2011.
He was reported to have gone to the office voluntarily to meet an MACC investigating officer in relation to a bribery case involving 62 customs officers.
The Coroner’s Court on Sept 26, delivered a verdict of misadventure and concluded that there were no elements of suicide, homicide or third party involvement in the death of the Selangor Customs assistant director.
Coroner Aizatul Akmal Maharani said the court concurred with the opinion of the pathologists, in particular, on the injuries sustained by Ahmad Sarbani as being consistent with an accidental fall from the third floor of the building.
The month-long inquest started on July 4 and ended on Aug 4 with 34 witnesses, including several MACC officers from here, two pathologists, forensics and Customs officers.
Surendran, however, said he and the family had never accepted the findings of the inquest.
“It is absurd to believe that Ahmad Sarbani, who had a respectable career and a family to care for, would deliberately climb over a window ledge.
“When the incident happened, the authorities immediately came up with statements that he tried to commit suicide.”
Surendran said that the fact that the CCTV camera recordings at the MACC building during the time of the incident was erased also raised questions.
He also questioned why three years after the incident, no one had been held responsible for the death.
“It is very clear cut that MACC and its officers are responsible for the death as he was taken in by them for questioning.
“Not forgetting that there has been no proof that Ahmad Sarbaini was involved in any corruption wrongdoing.”
MACC director of investigations Datuk Mustafar Ali was reported to have said Ahmad Sarbani was among those detained on April 1, 2011, in a nationwide operation for graft involving unpaid taxes and released on bail the next day.
He said Ahmad Sarbani was with an MACC officer until 10.15am, adding that the officer then left the room for a few minutes to call the investigating officer, and when he returned, he found Ahmad Sarbani missing.
Ahmad Sarbani’s body was found lying on the first floor open-air badminton court at 10.20am.
The MACC had insisted that Ahmad Sarbani was not murdered, nor did he commit suicide, but rather fell to his death trying to escape from the building.
In September that year, the coroner’s court ruled the death an accident.
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