KUALA LUMPUR: Police were unable to obtain footage on the exit routes taken by Pastor Raymond Koh's abductors because of faulty CCTVs, a public inquiry heard.
Investigating officer ASP Supari Muhammad said there were about four or five cameras at the Jalan Bahagia and Jalan Majlis junctions, with some belonging to traffic police and others to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).
"The traffic police cameras, however, is only used to record traffic offences but was not functioning at the time. The MBPJ cameras were also not functioning," he told the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) inquiry looking into the disappearances of Pastor Koh, social activist Amri Che Mat, Pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife, Ruth Hilmy.
ASP Supari said he had written a letter to the MBPJ to request for the footage but the council said that the cameras were not working.
The police only have CCTV recordings from two private homes along where Koh was abducted, and another one from a billboard in Taman Mayang, Petaling Jaya.
The inquiry also heard that there are a total of 106 CCTVs in Petaling Jaya, which are used to curb crime and monitor crime hot spots, according to information from the MBPJ website.
All of the cameras are linked to the CCTV monitoring room at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters.
Lawyers representing Pastor Koh’s family had asked ASP Supari why were the cameras not functioning if they were installed to fight crime.
"We always write to the MBPJ because many of the cameras are not working. The maintenance and service are expensive and that's why they're not functional," said ASP Supari.
Koh, 63, was abducted from his car by a group of men along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya on Feb 13 at about 11am while on his way to a friend’s house.
His silver-coloured car bearing the number plate ST5515D has not been found.
The panel of inquiry consists of commissioners Datuk Mah Weng Kwai as chairman, Prof Datuk Dr Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleh.
Investigating officer ASP Supari Muhammad said there were about four or five cameras at the Jalan Bahagia and Jalan Majlis junctions, with some belonging to traffic police and others to the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ).
"The traffic police cameras, however, is only used to record traffic offences but was not functioning at the time. The MBPJ cameras were also not functioning," he told the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) inquiry looking into the disappearances of Pastor Koh, social activist Amri Che Mat, Pastor Joshua Hilmy and his wife, Ruth Hilmy.
ASP Supari said he had written a letter to the MBPJ to request for the footage but the council said that the cameras were not working.
The inquiry also heard that there are a total of 106 CCTVs in Petaling Jaya, which are used to curb crime and monitor crime hot spots, according to information from the MBPJ website.
All of the cameras are linked to the CCTV monitoring room at the Petaling Jaya district police headquarters.
Lawyers representing Pastor Koh’s family had asked ASP Supari why were the cameras not functioning if they were installed to fight crime.
"We always write to the MBPJ because many of the cameras are not working. The maintenance and service are expensive and that's why they're not functional," said ASP Supari.
Koh, 63, was abducted from his car by a group of men along Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya on Feb 13 at about 11am while on his way to a friend’s house.
His silver-coloured car bearing the number plate ST5515D has not been found.
The panel of inquiry consists of commissioners Datuk Mah Weng Kwai as chairman, Prof Datuk Dr Aishah Bidin and Dr Nik Salida Suhaila Nik Saleh.
Read more at http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/11/13/police-unable-to-gain-footage-of-pastor-koh-abductors-due-to-faulty-cctvs-inquiry-told/#boJZh638SWuS3y2J.99
