Mystery Of Car Being Moved
By Rol Izam & Ignatius Stephen

Bandar Seri Begawan - Who drove away Maual bin Jambu's car after he was dead? And then who returned it soon after?

This is another mystifying piece of evidence in an ongoing triple murder hearing in the Brunei High Court. The missing car, a Mitsubishi Pajero, from the dead man's garage added to the mounting mystery in which Maual, 44, a Royal Brunei Airline mechanic and his family were found dead under the most perplexing circumstances two years ago.

However, the car reappeared in the garage soon after a neighbour testified in court. The neighbour Haji Jamil bin Haji Osman said he noticed that Maual's car was missing from Maual's garage on December 16, 2004.

But when the police discovered the bodies of Maual and that of his wife, Seniwati binti Untong, 37, a lecturer, and that of their two-year-old adopted daughter, Neena Asmira, the car was back in the garage.

In the dock charged with the horrendous crime is Richard Koh Hiong, a 53-year-old car salesman, a friend and neighbour. Richard was arrested two months later. He is denying all charges and had been in jail ever since.

The mystery in a nutshell was that Haji Jamil said he saw Maual `s Mitsubishi Pajero was missing from Maual's garage on December 16, 2004. The Pajero was parked in Maual's garage when the three bodies were discovered on December 17, 2004. Richard was supposed to have murdered Maual and his family on December 15, 2004.

ASP Sabtu, Investigating Officer, in his evidence had stated that his investigation revealed that the Pajero was only driven by Maual. If Maual was murdered on December 15, 2004 who drove his Pajero on December 16, 2004? If it was the murderer who drove the Pajero, why did he return it to the garage?

That is the question defence counsel Yusof Halim is posing to the court.

The statement by Haji Jamil is also consistent with two other neigbours' statement that they gave to the police, the court heard.

Haliza binti Abdul Hadi, another neighbour of the victims, when she gave evidence recounted that she had heard a female voice shouting on the top of her voice.

"It sounded like `thunder' coming from Maual's house at 9am to 10am on December 16, 2004," she said.

The murders, the worst in recent memory in Brunei, took place in a single storey senior government house in Kampong Serusop around Christmas two years ago.

Chief Justice Dato Mohammad Saied and Justice Dato Steven Chong are hearing the case.

Prosecution is led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Haji Yusree and assisted by DPP Pengiran Nina Jasmine. Meanwhile, Awang Yusof Halim and Siva Sankaran are defending. Haji Jamil stated that he was a teacher staying at C4, Maktab Sains Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Bungalow, Kampong Serusop, Jalan Muara,

"In December 2004 I was a neighbour of Maual bin Jambu and his family who were staying at Bungalow C3, which is directly next to my bungalow. "Our bungalows are about 25 metres apart.

"Our bungalows are in a very quiet residential area. From the living room of my bungalow, we were able to get a clear view of the victim's house, unless our curtains are drawn close.

"I can also get a good view of the victims' bungalow on going in and out of my garage and could see the victim's vehicle that was parked outside the garage. However, I would not be able to see the vehicle that was parked inside the garage.

"I knew Maual and family as my neighbours. They had three cars, a blue Pajero, a red Subaru and a white saloon car.

"I cannot now remember the registration numbers of these cars. His wife was Seniwati and they had a young daughter. A Filipino amah was also staying with them. What I know is that the blue Pajero was usually driven by Maual. "Sometime in the morning of December 12, 2004, my wife and I drove to Miri. It was the school holidays then.

"We did not look in the direction of Maual's house when leaving the house.

"We returned home from Miri at about 7.15pm. I drove my car into my garage without looking in the direction of Maual's house.

"There was nothing unusual that night. My family and I then watched television; after which my wife and I went to bed at around 11 pm. It was quiet and I did not hear anything coming from the direction of Maual's house.

"On December 16, 2004 my elder brother and his family came to the house at around 4pm to 5pm. "They left my house before 6pm. I walked with them to the road which leads from my house to Maual's house, as their car was parked there. After my brother and his family had driven off and whilst I was still on the road on the way back to my house, I took a look towards Maual's house.

"I noticed that Maual's house was quiet and the blue Mitsubishi Pajero that Maual usually drives was not at the garage.

"In the afternoon of December 17, 2004 the bodies of the victims were discovered. I noticed that Maual's Mitsubishi Pajero was parked outside the garage and was readily visible from my house." Hearing continues.  -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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