PUTRAJAYA: Sirul Azhar Umar's claims of bribery for silence over the murder of Altantuya Shaaribuu cannot be investigated until he applies to have his mandatory death sentence reviewed.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this in response to former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's call for the government to facilitate Sirul Azhar's extradition.
"The government will keep updated with the developments (on Sirul). (His accomplice) Azilah Hadri, who is in Sungai Buloh prison, is one of the first 900 on death row who has applied for his mandatory death sentence to be reviewed.
"In Sirul's case, if he wants to use this opportunity (to return), the application must come from his lawyers.
"So far, we have not received any information on this, as he was just released this past week," he told reporters on the sidelines of the PKR National Congress here, today.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera 101 East on Friday, Sirul Azhar said he was told to produce a video that Najib had no involvement in the murder.
He also claimed that he received some money from unnamed sources to keep his mouth shut on the murder and to protect Najib.
In response, Najib, through his legal team, had issued a statement denying such allegations and urged the former police officer to disclose any information he might have regarding the purported mastermind.