It has been two years (which includes the actual murder together with the case going on trial) since Mongolian beauty Altantuya Sharribuu was murdered. Her sudden and shocking end became the most high profile case in Malaysia. Much has changed since the murder suspects were brought in, questioned and charged. The main man supposedly behind this, political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, was aqquited by the High Court as there was not enough evidence against him.
However, it was only recently that the two former commandos that were charged have been found that they had been given special treatment, such as allowing them to be disguised as ninjas (white masks covering their face complete with the ‘Grim Reaper’ black cloaks). As far as bringing out a suspect into the open usually goes, the person accused normally bends his or her head down or their picture is blurred with the help of digital imaging or family members of the accused will help cover their faces.
While no suspect has been forced to reveal their faces to the public until the court gives the naysay that their identities be known, I realise that this whole cover-up facade is nothing more than a joke, showing that there is some special treatment going on, simply because those two were cops once upon a time (until the court has the last say about them). And while we nor any member of the public can force them to reveal their identities, then why are they allowed to cover up in such a fashion, while other criminals who have done the same thing as them get the standard treatment?
No matter what the charge, the innocent have to be proven guilty with concrete evidence. No one should be given any special treatment in any case, since they have done something wrong. They may have broken the law (since they have yet to be found guilty), and the fact that they are cops themselves is nauseating. Plus, if the court is so afraid of not showing their identities in public, then why was the artist’s impression of them released when they wanted to remain hidden? Why is this only coming to light after one and a half years since the case went on trial?
These are the questions that many would want answered. If they are found guilty of a crime, we want them treated in the same way like how all other criminals are. Just because they were cops in their heyday doesn’t give them the right to resort to privilages like these. If one covers up with a ninja mask worthy of the Ninja Turtles, then where does that leave the rest of the other criminals?
Covering a person’s face up for such a high-profile case as this, should not go unnoticed. Hiding one’s face in such a manner will only lead us in asking more questions, especially if it’s connecting them to the whole murder. The public would, no doubt, suspect that these two would have something to hide. However, at the end of the day, the mantra ‘Innocent until proven guilty’ will just have to do in such a circumstance. We can speculate, we can guess, hey, we can even spread rumours. However, it is the court, not the public, that determines their fate. Period.
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