Kuala Lumpur: A prominent Malaysian political analyst, charged with abetting the gruesome murder of a Mongolian woman in a high-profile case that allegedly involves top government officials, was today acquitted after the judge ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove prima facie case against him.
Abdul Razak Baginda, known to be close to Deputy premier Najib Razak, had been charged with abetting the murder of 28-year-old Altantuya Sharibu, while Azilah Hadri and Sirul Azhar Umar of the Special Action Squad were charged with murdering the model-cum-interpreter.
Altantuya was shot and later her body was blown up in October 2006. Baginda could have been awarded the death penalty if he had been found guilty. Azilah and Sirul Azhar were ordered by court to enter their defence against the murder charge. Both chose to testify under oath.
