The first prosecution witness told the Shah Alam High Court today that he was present when Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu was taken away by a policeman in a red Proton Wira on Oct 19 last year.

Private investigator P Bala Subramaniam who was employed by political analyst Abdul Razak Baginda said he went to Razak's residence in Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur, that night.

Altantunya arrived in a taxi alone later.

Bala then contacted Razak and was told that the police are coming to arrest her. He was also instructed to wait and talk to Altantuya until the police arrive.

"She approached me and started telling me about her 'sad stories'," he said.

"She told me that her father had died and her mother is suffering from cancer. She also said that her brother had gambled his apartment in Mongolia away and was now forcing her to ask money from Razak," he added.

It was after this that a red Proton Wira showed up but Bala did not tell her that a policeman was coming, to prevent her from fleeing. However, he later told her that the police were arresting her.

According to him, she sat in the car voluntarily and was taken away by the policeman and two others, including a woman.

Bala said he met Razak the next day and quizzed him as to where Altantuya was. "Razak smiled and said 'I don't know where Altantuya is kept because the police who arrested her did not tell me.'

"He then wished me 'Happy Deepavali' and paid me RM2,000 for my services," added the private investigator.

Bala also said that he suggested to Razak three possibilities where Altantuya may be kept - the Travers police station, the Special Branch lock-up in Jalan Ipoh and another location, which he could not recall.

Caused a commotion

On another occasion, he said Altantunya showed up at Razak's house and caused a commotion. She yelled, "Razak, bastard, you come out! I want to speak to you!"

After her disappearance, Bala said two of her Mongolian companions identified as Namiraa Gerelmaa and Uuriintuya Gal Orchir arrived at Razak's residence on Oct 20 last year with Ang Chong Beng, the private investigator hired by Altantunya.

"They claimed that Altantuya was being held captive in Razak's house, asked for her release and said they would return to Mongolia," Bala related.

However, the situation was defused after the police showed up and everybody left the scene soon after.

Prior to this incident, Altantuya had visited Razak's residence and office several times.

One time, she allegedly followed the police to the Brickfields police station where she revealed to Bala her demands for US$500,000 and three flight tickets back to Mongolia.

Text messages

It was at this time that Bala met Ang after he had related her claims to the analyst.

Bala then told Razak that he feared for his safety and the safety of his staff because he was worried that Ang would harm them. He also expressed his intention to quit for this reason.

"Razak told me he would contact top police officials that he knew to take the appropriate action," he said.

Bala was also made to read out text messages between him and Razak, but it was mostly inaudible to the public gallery as he read it out softly.

However, public prosecutor Tun Majid Tun Hamzah pointed out one that read: "A lies too much. The taximan is another victim" and asked Bala to identify who "A" was.

Bala then replied "A" was Altantuya.

In another instance, Bala revealed that he had followed Razak and the analyst's father Abdullah Malim Baginda to lodge a police report at the Brickfields police station but Bala claimed that he did not know the contents of the report.

Razak, is charged with abetting the murder of Altantuya, 28, between 10pm on Oct 19 and 1am on Oct 20 last year. Her body was blown up in a jungle clearing in Shah Alam, Selangor.

Two police officers, Azilah Hadri, 30, and Sirul Azhar Umar, 35, are charged with the murder. They are members of a special unit that guards top Malaysian leaders, including the prime minister and his deputy.

All three accused face the death penalty if convicted.

The high profile trial is expected to run for a month and to hear testimony from 30 to 40 prosecution witnesses.

The hearing continues tomorrow.