SHAH ALAM - A Malaysian high court has ordered the government and three others to pay RM5 million (S$1.53 million) in damages to the family of Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu, who was murdered in 2006.

Civil court judge Vazeer Alam Mydin Meera, who made the ruling on Friday morning, said the victim’s family had successfully proven their claim against the government, political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda, and former policemen Sirul Azhar Umar and Azilah Hadri.

The judge’s verdict in favour of the family during an online proceeding comes 15 years after the civil action was filed in 2007.

On June 4, 2007, Ms Altantuya’s parents, Dr Shaariibuu Setev and Ms Altantsetseg Sanjaa, and their grandsons Mungunshagai Bayarjargal and Altanshagai Munkhtulga, filed the suit against Azilah and Sirul, as well as Mr Abdul Razak and the government.

However, Altanshagai’s name was later removed from the plaintiff’s list when he died in 2017.

In their statement of claim, the family said Ms Altantuya’s death resulted in them suffering mental shock and psychological trauma and sought compensation as well as exemplary and aggravated damages.

A total of 26 witnesses for the plaintiffs, including Dr Shaariibuu and Ms Altantuya’s eldest son Bayarkhuu, testified at the trial, which began in 2019.

The government presented three witnesses, while Mr Abdul Razak chose not to testify.

Ms Altantuya was murdered in October 2006 and her body was blown up with military-grade explosives.

Azilah and Sirul were found guilty of her murder and sentenced to death in 2009.

Mr Abdul Razak, a former aide to then deputy prime minister Najib Razak, was charged with abetting the duo, but later acquitted without his defence being called. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK