Azamuddin shows bruises he claimed resulted from his beating.
A lawyer representing Azamuddin Omar is demanding a probe into what he claims was the attempted murder and assault of the key-witness in the fatal shooting of Aminulrasyid Amzah.
“A separate investigation must be launched based on his account of what happened that night,” said N. Surendran, who is among the lawyers representing the 15-year-old witness.
The son of a police sergeant was in the car with the 14-year-old Aminulrasyid when the latter was shot in the back of the head after a car chase with police, last Monday.
The spotlight so far has been on the fatal police shooting of the Form Three student, with Azamuddin’s escape and alleged assault by policemen being so far ignored.
According to Azamuddin’s account, after Aminulrasyid’s body fell on his lap and the car crashed, he had crawled out and was subsequently assaulted by no fewer than five policemen before managing to escape.
Azamuddin, said Surendran, then heard a policeman shouting for him to stop, and when he kept running, he heard the man counting to three.
Turning around, the boy claimed to have caught a glance of the policeman apparently raising a gun and preparing to fire.
At that moment, another police car drove up and the policeman lowered the weapon while Azamuddin made good his escape.
The witness had related this account to both Surendran and lawyer, Latheefa Koya, although it was not in his police report.
However, Surendran is determined to push for a separate investigation.
He points out Azamuddin had no reason to lie.
Most of his account of what happened that night, outside of the assault and run-in with the policeman with the gun, had been corroborated by other eye-witnesses.
“It is also a fact that Azamuddin is innocent of any offence,” said Surendran.
Although he was out joyriding with Aminulrasyid, he was only a passenger in the Proton Iswara that belonged to the dead schoolboy’s older sister, the lawyer said.
During a press conference on Monday, Azamuddin related what happened to his friend and showed reporters the bruises he sustained on his arm as a result of the alleged assault.
Surendran said it was a miracle the boy survived the hail of bullets, the assault and his final escape.
So far, Azamuddin, whose account contradicts claims that Aminulrasyid had attempted to reverse his car into policemen when he was shot, has been questioned thrice by investigators.
He has also aided investigations by retracing the route Aminulrasyid had driven to the scene where he was shot, accompanied by police officers and a forensic team.
Surendran, who met Azamuddin last night, said the boy was still traumatised by the incident.
Four policemen have been transferred to desk duty while the case, which has been classified as a murder, is investigated.
Following public outcry, the government has also set up a panel headed by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Wira Abu Seman Yusop to oversee investigations.
