Malaysia's Federal Court today upheld the death sentences handed down to two police officers for murdering and blowing up a Mongolian model in a sensational scandal linked to allegations of high-level corruption in 2006.
The top court convicted former Special Action Unit personnel Sirul Azhar Umar, 43, and Azilah Hadri, 38, of murdering Mongolian model and interpreter Altantuya Shaariibuu.
Opposition parties had long alleged that the two men were scapegoats in the murder of Altantuya, who was allegedly at the centre of supposed kickbacks in the USD 1.1 billion purchase of French Scorpene submarines in 2002.
It was alleged that the model was having an affair with Abdul Razak Baginda, a close associate of current Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was defence minister at the time of the deal.
The model was shot and her body blown up with explosives in 2006. The remains of the model were found in a jungle near here.
The two were convicted in 2009 and sentenced to death, but released when an appeals court overturned the conviction in 2013 resulting in the prosecution's appeal to the Federal Court.
Both the policemen have denied killing Altantuya. Sirul was not present in the court today and is reportedly in Australia.
