Albert Tei releases photo to prove MACC men aimed weapons in his house during raid

Prominent whistleblower Albert Tei today released an image believed to be a screenshot from a video recording, showing two armed men apparently aiming weapons during a raid by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) more than three months ago.

Tei said the grainy image, sent anonymously to his WhatsApp this week, shows the two men on a staircase in the compound of his house, adding that he believed it was from a body camera worn by one of the officers who barged into his house on Nov 28.

Tei had previously accused officers of pointing guns at him and his family members, a claim denied by MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki.

Since the raid, Tei has been demanding that MACC return CCTV equipment taken by the officers, which could prove his claim.

Tei's wife, Lee Pei Rie, stated in a police report filed hours after the raid that officers removed a CCTV decoder and deleted the contents of mobile phones belonging to her husband and family members.

Lee said she was recording the officers inside her home when she found her husband being forced to lie on the ground, surrounded by a group of armed men.

She said one of them then pointed a gun at her and forced her to surrender her phone.

Tei's lawyers, Mahajoth Singh and Zaid Malek, have warned that MACC's actions amounted to destroying crucial evidence regarding the conduct of the officers.

"There is a CCTV directly pointing to the living room when all this transpired. So there would have been a recording that would show whether or not guns were pointed at him and his wife. The evidence was taken by MACC. Obviously, they are trying to hide something," Zaid had said on Nov 28.

On Nov 25 last year, Tei – the man behind explosive videos implicating Sabah Chief Minister and GRS chairman Hajiji Noor and 14 ruling politicians in corrupt practices – revealed that he had spent almost RM630,000 on then political secretary to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin.

Tei had hoped that the latter would help him negotiate with Hajiji to recover the money he paid to several GRS politicians. Shamsul resigned on the same day.

Two days after his exposé, a group of balaclava-clad armed officers from MACC raided Tei's home, before taking away critical evidence that could shed light on claims that guns were pointed at him and his family members as they ransacked his house.

Both Tei and Shamsul were eventually charged with giving and receiving RM176,829.03 in gratification.