High Court orders government and police to pay compensation for involvement in pastor’s abduction

The Malaysian High Court has ordered the government of Malaysia and police to pay a sum of 37 million Malaysian Ringgit (RM, approximately 6.8 million GBP) for their involvement in the February 2017 abduction of Pastor Raymond Koh.

In a ruling issued on 5 November, Justice Su Tiang Joo ordered the government to pay RM 33 million for ‘wrongful acts’ committed against Pastor Koh, with a further RM 4 million to be paid to Pastor’s Koh wife Susanna Liew for general and aggravated damages, and RM 250,000 for costs.

Justice Su also ordered that the funds must be kept in a trust fund and could not go directly to Liew and her three children until the pastor’s whereabouts is ascertained.

Pastor Koh was abducted in broad daylight on 13 February 2017 by 15 men in three black SUVs and four other vehicles in Petaling Jaya. Video footage of the incident, as well as eyewitness reports, appears to indicate that the men were professionally trained, with the whole process taking just 40 seconds. He has not been seen or heard from since.

Speaking after the ruling was issued, Liew said: ‘After nearly nine years of the loss of a husband and father, anguish and uncertainty, the judgment brings a long-awaited decision […] Though this will not bring Koh back, it is somewhat a vindication and closure for our family. We dedicate this struggle and judgment to Koh, a man of faith, compassion and courage, and to all victims of enforced disappearances.’

Liew also expressed disappointment that the government failed to act on the recommendations made by previous inquiries into her husband’s disappearance, and that no action was taken against specific police officers that had been confirmed to have been involved in the abduction.

CSW’s Founder President Mervyn Thomas said: ‘CSW welcomes the ruling of the Malaysian High Court which does at least recognise the injustice of Pastor Raymond Koh’s enforced disappearance. As Susanna says, this will not bring him back, and we therefore continue to call on the Malaysian authorities to establish a royal commission of inquiry to establish exactly what happened to him and his whereabouts today. This is a landmark decision that demonstrates the judiciary’s independence by holding state actors accountable, and setting a legal precedent for cases involving enforced disappearance.’