Wednesday September 15, 2010
Don’t foul up probe
Star says
THE gruesome killing of cosmetics millionaire Datuk Sosilawati Lawiya, her driver, lawyer and financial adviser has all the makings of a chilling blockbuster. It is indeed murder most foul.
While police investigations are making good progress and key suspects have been arrested, the script is still a work in progress.
It is important, therefore, for us to take stock of what has been revealed so far and what needs to be looked at further. Let us be clear that at the end of the day, it is not about how the story is played out in the media or how conclusions are formed in the court of public opinion.
No, it is about how evidence is carefully gathered, how every lead is pursued and how every motive is examined. It is about building up a solid case that will stand up in a court of law to ensure justice for all.
This is a case that has generated not only local interest but gained international attention because of the gory details that have emerged – that the four were bludgeoned to death, their bodies burnt at a poultry farm and their remains tossed into a river.
It is imperative that our police, specifically the forensic teams, are at their most professional and competent level. There can be no lapse or bungling in police procedures that will lead to embarrassment or worse, no conviction later on.
The police should be commended for their work so far. They have spared no effort or resources in scouring for every available lead since the case broke. At the time the four were reported missing, the country was in a “slowdown” mode due to the school holidays and Hari Raya break.
But for the police, it was not a time to slow down, and they worked tirelessly, first in the hope that the missing four would be found alive. They needed the help of the public but there was also a thin line as to how much information should go public lest the lives of the missing four were compromised.
Now that the gruesome details have become public knowledge, it is just as critical that forensic evidence is not compromised in any way. People who hover at the crime scene must not hamper the work of the police and the police must also ensure they do not miss out even the slightest detail.
The public and the media, on their part, should also give the cops a chance to get this case properly investigated. People should come forward and offer any information that might possibly help in the investigations. It is not just physical evidence but even an overheard conversation involving any of the four could prove useful.
As the net widens, we learn that there is the chilling possibility that the fate of as many as another nine missing persons could be tied to the same prime suspects, including a businessman from Chennai, India.
There is a need for the top police brass to tackle the unhealthy speculation concerning the Banting police. In a way, this case has started the new IGP’s tenure with a big bang. It is a good opportunity for Tan Sri Ismail Omar to show the public that he is open, transparent and completely no-nonsense.
He has to seriously address the question of missing persons reports nationwide.
We do not need more lives to be brutally and senselessly lost
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