Malaysia court commutes death sentence of Najib’s bodyguard for murder of Mongolian model

Azilah Hadri, 48, a former chief inspector in the Royal Malaysian Police who was also charged with protecting then-Prime Minister Najib, was sentenced to death in 2009 along with Corporal Sirul Azhar Umar for the gruesome murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu.

The body of 28-year-old Altantuya, a Mongolian model and interpreter, was found on October 18, 2006. It was blown up outside Kuala Lumpur using C4 explosives.

Altantuya also worked as an interpreter on a $2 billion French submarine deal that was mired in corruption allegations.

The Federal Court in Putrajaya, consisting of a three-judge panel led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, concluded that the applicant’s arguments provided “strong indicative factors and valid reasons” for the court to commute the death penalty.