Court releases documents on Malaysian soldier in NZ sexual assault case
Several court documents pertaining to the arrest of a Malaysian soldier at the centre of a sexual assault case in New Zealand have been released, media reports said today.
The New Zealand Herald, citing a report in Newstalk ZB, said according to the released documents, a police request to lift defence staff assistant Muhammad Rizalman Ismail's bail conditions was granted a week before he left New Zealand.
The removal of the bail conditions allowed Rizalman to have possession of his passport and to apply for travel documentation, the daily said after a judge granted Newstalk ZB access to court records in the case.
According to the New Zealand Herald, court records on May 15 noted that: "At the request of police, bail conditions are removed – (Rizalman) now at large. Issue as to whether defendant has diplomatic immunity being looked into”.
On May 22, Rizalman flew back to Malaysia and on May 29, an email from police to court officials noted that Rizalman had left New Zealand, the paper reported.
"The New Zealand authorities had no lawful powers to prevent Rizalman's departure," the New Zealand Herald said, quoting from the email.
Rizalman, a Second Warrant officer attached to the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington, is accused of following a 21-year-old woman home and assaulting her with intent to rape.
It was reported that on May 9, Rizalman had allegedly followed the woman from a bus stop to her Brooklyn house before breaking in and undressing himself. The woman fought him off and neighbours came to her aid.
The woman, who has been identified as Tania Billingsley after she asked the court to lift an order to suppress her name, had said in a media interview that she felt frustrated and angry when Rizalman was allowed to go back to Malaysia.
Rizalman, 38, was arrested on May 9 for sexual assault and burglary. It was reported that he was currently undergoing a second round of psychiatric evaluation at a military hospital in Kuala Lumpur.
The Malaysian government had said that Rizalman would be sent back to New Zealand to face the charges against him but so far no date had been fixed as doctors were still ascertaining his condition, saying that he appeared to be withdrawn and depressed. – July 11, 2014.
