Anwar’s ex-lawyer to act for Dutch model’s family at inquest
SN Nair will hold a watching brief for Ivana Smit’s family at the inquest into her death.
The body of Ivana Smit, 18, was found on the sixth floor of an apartment block in Kuala Lumpur last year. (File pic)
KUALA LUMPUR: Senior lawyer SN Nair, who was once Anwar Ibrahim’s lawyer in the Sodomy 2 case, will be representing the family of 18-year-old Dutch model Ivana Smit at the inquest into her death.
Nair said Smit’s family had got in touch with him in recent weeks to ask him to hold a watching brief on their behalf at the inquest which has been scheduled for Aug 8.
“I have also written to the Sessions Court today to request for the hearing to be conducted in English, if possible, for the sake of the family members,” he told FMT.
Nair said his law firm would also write to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) tomorrow, requesting the chambers to supply Smit’s family with the relevant documents such as the post-mortem, toxicology and medical reports.
“These reports will help us to understand and prepare for the case next week.
“I hope this AG will be more receptive to the family,” Nair said, referring to Tommy Thomas.
Nair, along with the late Karpal Singh, represented Anwar in his Sodomy 2 case in 2009, where Anwar was subsequently acquitted in 2012.
FMT was unable to get confirmation from the police on the possible witnesses and whether the American couple, believed to be the last poeple to have been with Smit, would be called to give evidence.
Smit’s naked body was found on the sixth floor of an apartment block in downtown Kuala Lumpur on Dec 7 last year.
Police believed she was intoxicated at the time. Smit was earlier said to have been in the apartment of a couple — an American man and his Kazakh wife.
It was reported that she had been out drinking with the couple in Bangsar before her death and had returned to the couple’s apartment on the 20th floor.
Smit moved to Malaysia when she was three and lived for 13 years in Penang with her grandparents.
A private investigator hired by Smit’s family was quoted in the media as saying he was convinced she was murdered. He also accused Malaysian police of a cover-up.
Police previously classified the case as “sudden death by falling”, but her family has refused to accept this conclusion.
Police had assured the family that they were investigating the matter professionally.