KOTA KINABALU – Lawyer Shahlan Jufri, who represents Noraidah Lamat, the mother of the late Zara Qairina Mahathir, has dismissed claims surrounding a viral photo of him with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor and Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
He clarified that the photo, which also featured lawyer Datuk Ram Singh, was an old picture from June and had no relation to the ongoing case.
“The attempt by certain parties to link it is a malicious slander meant to mislead the public.
“I emphasise that my commitment is only towards justice for Zara,” he said in a Facebook post, last night.
Shahlan said the key legal actions requested by Zara’s family have already been carried out since he was appointed as their counsel.
“For the record, the main matters have been carried out after my appointment as Zara’s lawyer, such as the exhumation of the grave which was successful, the autopsy which was successfully carried out and being in the mortuary for more than eight hours at the request of my client.
“We also requested that the perpetrators face heavier punishment, which is a maximum of 10 years jail and the application for an inquest has been approved and is currently underway,” he said.
Stressing his independence, Shahlan assured that he will continue to act without fear or favour.
“I will not bow to any pressure or attempts to divert and disrupt this struggle which has taken place since the very first day I was appointed as Zara’s lawyer,” he said.
The circulation of the viral photo had earlier triggered speculation and polemics among social media users, particularly due to the presence of Ram Singh, who is representing one of the accused.