Lead counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin (pic) says his client Sirul Azhar cannot be contacted. ― Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

PUTRAJAYA, Jan 13 ― Sirul Azhar Umar, one of two former police commandos accused of murdering Mongolian model Altantuya Shaariibuu eight years ago, failed to show up in the Federal Court today for the final verdict to decide his death sentence or freedom.

According to his lead counsel Kamarul Hisham Kamaruddin, Sirul Azhar cannot be contacted.

The lawyer told told a five-judge panel chaired by Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria that he “cannot get in touch” with his client.

Before the Federal Court delivered its verdict, lead prosecutor Datuk Tun Abdul Majid Tun Hamzah said the prosecution was unable to serve a notice to Sirul Azhar.

Sirul Azhar, 43, a former police commando with the rank of corporal, was together with former Chief Inspector Azilah Hadri, 38, charged with the murder of Altantuya in 2006.

Azilah, who was dressed in a suit and a tie, was present in court today.

It is believed that no photographs of the two are publicly available, with the duo's faces covered in past hearings or entering through a different entrance to courtrooms — where no photography is permitted.

Both men previously won their acquittal in 2013 and walked out of prison as free men.

In the August 23, 2013 acquittal, the Court of Appeal ruled that the High Court trial judge’s misdirection had rendered the duo's 2009 death sentence and conviction unsafe.

In 2009, the duo formerly with the police’s Special Action Unit (UTK) were found guilty of murdering Altantuya in Mukim Bukit Raja in Klang between 10pm on October 19, 2006 and 1am on October 20, 2006.

During the course of their trial, it was revealed that the Mongolian model was shot and her body blown up with explosives in a jungle clearing on the night of October 19.

The four other judges on the five-man Federal Court bench today are Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Richard Malanjum, Tan Sri Abdull Hamid Embong, Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar, Tan Sri Ahmad Maarop.