Two more witnesses for Lingam inquiry

The royal commission of inquiry into the Lingam tape may summon lawyer Muhammad Shafee Abdullah and embattled lawyer VK Lingam’s sister VK Lashimi to testify.

Applications for the two new witnesses were made today - the inquiry’s 13th day of proceedings - following new developments.

Shafee (photo), the source of holiday photographs and original airline tickets of the infamous New Zealand holiday, expressed his intention to testify on Jan 30 and provided a written statement today.

Lingam’s counsel R Thayalan then informed the commission that he will be furnishing a police report against Shafee of alleged case-fixing before a judicial commissioner.

To this application, commissioner Mahadev Shankar asked, “What is the purpose of this character assassination?”

Thayalan merely replied that he will be raising it.

Mahadev then said, “When Shafee is in the witness box you can ask him and I am sure he will be very happy to answer.”

Thayalan later said that this police report was raised to challenge the credibility of Shafee rather than to enlarge the commission’s terms of reference.

“I’m not saying if it’s the truth or not (the alleged case-fixing)... At the moment I am raising this on credibility,” he said.

A threat against Shafee

Representing the Malaysian Bar, Christopher Leong voiced concern towards Thayalan’s new evidence, calling it a threat against Shafee.

“The Malaysian Bar is of grave concern that Thayalan then went on to say that if Shafee were to take the stand or be permitted to, he (Thayalan) will be putting evidence against Shafee on matters of alleged case-fixing,” said Leong.

“It appears it is possibly a threat to Shafee,” Leong said as he reminded the commission of Section 12 of the Commissions Act against any person who attempts to hinder another from giving evidence.

While arguing that the new evidence is not relevant to the commission’s scope of inquiry, Leong pointed out that Thayalan had not read Shafee’s statement at that point and is not in a position to say if the intended evidence is relevant or not.

When the proceedings resumed in the afternoon, Shafee informed the commissioners that the said police report is in relation to a breach of official secrets, rather than case-fixing.

“It has nothing to do with case-fixing. It has got to do a breach of official secrets during the dangerous time when we were defending the judiciary.

“(Then) many lawyers were being put into trouble of contempt of court and I was almost arrested as a result of this false report,” Shafee added.

According to Shafee, he had approached Thayalan today for a copy of the police report but the latter said that he neither had a copy or had read it.

Shafee then went on the offensive, saying: “When a lawyer raises a point, he’s got to stick to ethics, he’s got to know the case very well, what the report is about.”

Shafee named the judicial commissioner who lodged the police report as former High Court judge KL Rekhraj.

“He (Rekhraj) lodged a report and later on he himself apologise to me over the phone for having lodged the report because he was instructed by (former chief justice) Tun Eusoff Chin,” said Shafee.

Eusoff’s counsel Hazman Ahmad raised objection to Shafee’s statement, denying his client’s involvement.

Sister embroiled in insanity saga

Meanwhile, Lingam’s estranged brother V Thirunama Karasu, who testified today, said that he had met Shafee in late 1999 and the latter had recorded his statement.

Thirunama, the commission’s 18th witness, was permitted to testify on the close relationship between Lingam and Eusoff.

Today, Thirunama was grilled by lawyers as to his mental state when making allegations against Lingam.

According to Thirunama, he had been coerced into faking mental illness by Lingam.

After questioning Thirunama (photo, right), Thayalan also made an application for Lingam’s sister VK Lashimi to be called as a witness as Thirunama had denied all events that purportedly transpired between the two siblings.

Thirunama’s lawyer Wee Choo Keong (photo, left) expressed support for Lashimi to be called.

The commission will announce its decision on the two potential witnesses tomorrow.

The inquiry which was expected to wrap up last week has now been extended till Wednesday.