Teo Remembers What He Didn't Before
By Rol Izam & Ignatius Stephen

Bandar Seri Begawan - A "missing" witness in a triple murder case managed to remember in the Brunei High Court this time around what he said he could not remember before.

Seventy-year-old Teo Hoon @ Teo Ah Hoon, a retired Customs Senior Superintendent, could not remember what took place in the latter part of the night of December 15 two years ago in a police statement he made soon after the tragedy.

The court had difficulty in locating Teo and had placed advertisements in the local papers. He eventually turned up, flying down from Manila a week ago, as he was subpoenaed and ordered to appear in court.

Teo was giving evidence in the trial of car salesman Richard Chia Kok Hiong, 53, accused of killing a family of three on December 15, 2004 at a house in Serusop near the Brunei capital.

He told Chief Justice Dato Mohd Said and Mr Justice Dato Steven Chong: "In my statement to the police I said that t cannot remember what I did after I drove home from Richard's place on the night of December 15, 2004.

"It is true that I could not remember this when I was giving the police statement as I did not have sufficient time to recollect what had happened. After giving the police statement and thinking about it, I now can remember going to the restaurant with Richard on the night of 15/12/2004 as I had related above."

The defence is trying to prove that Richard was elsewhere on the night of the murders than at the scene of the tragedy. Teo said Richard was cheerful as usual and did not show any injuries.

The murder victims were Maual bin Jambu, 44, his 37-year-old school teacher wife and their adopted daughter Neena Asmira, aged two, who was smothered with a pillow. Her parents were beaten to death.

Prosecution is led by Deputy Public Prosecutor Haji Yusree and assisted by DPP Pengiran Nina Jasmine.

Awang Yusof Halim and Siva Sankaran are defending.

Teo Ah Hoon told the court:

"I had known Richard Chia Kok Hiong, the defendant in this case, for more or less 20 years. I am the first cousin of Pehin Zainuddin's mother. Pehin Zainuddin is the current Commissioner of Police.

"On 15th December 2004 between 7pm and 8pm I went to Richard's flat in Serusop and invited Richard to come with me to attend a ‘tahlil’ or mourning ceremony at Pehin Zainuddin's house at Police Headquarters in Gadong. Pehin Zainuddin's mother, who was my cousin, had just passed away. Richard did not know of the 'tahlil' ceremony until I told him and he had no intention of going there until I invited him to come with me. I wanted him to come with me because I wanted a companion.

"We went to the 'tahlil' in Richard's car which is silver Nissan Cefiro. I cannot remember the registration number of the car. I left my vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser, at Richard's flat.

"At the 'tahlil' ceremony, Richard and I were seated under a tent in the compound of Pehin Zainuddin's house. There were many guests there.

"I remember that on that day, Richard and I stayed on after the official ceremony when most of the guests had left. In fact, Richard and I were almost the last guests to leave. I wanted to leave as late as I can as I wanted to pay my last respect to my cousin, Pehin Zainuddin's mother.

"I cannot remember the exact time we left Pehin Zainuddin's place that night, but it was between 9 and I0pm. I left with Richard in his silver Nissan Cefiro and we went back to Richard's flat in Serusop. I had a glass of beer in Richard's house and sat down and chatted with him. I remember Richard's wife was at home when I was there. I did chat with her although I cannot now remember what we chatted about.

"I was at Richard's place with Richard for more or less half an hour. I then left home using my Toyota Land Cruiser. We had made plans to go to Haji Morneh's Restaurant in Jalan Muara. Richard then came and picked me up in his silver Nissan Cefiro from my house because I did not know how to get to Haji Morneh's Restaurant.

"After Richard picked me up, we drove straight to the restaurant. I believe we reached the restaurant at around 11pm.

"At the restaurant I remember Jack Keasberry joined us. There were others who also joined us but I do not know who they were.

"I cannot remember what time we left the restaurant but it would definitely be after midnight. Richard drove me home in his silver Nissan Cefiro.

"In my statement to the police, I said that I cannot remember what I did after I drove home from Richard's place on the night of 15.12.2004.

"It is true that I could not remember this when I was giving the police statement as I did not have sufficient time to recollect what had happened. After giving the police statement and thinking about it, I now can remember going to the restaurant with Richard on the night of 15/12/2004 as related above.

"Throughout the time I remember being with Richard on 15.12.2004, he appeared his usual self. I have always known him to be a very cheerful and jovial person and he was no different on 15.12.2004. I did not see any injuries on him on 15.12.2004."

Hearing continues. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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