GEORGE TOWN – The coroner’s court today was told that Annapuranee Jenkins had on the day she disappeared asked to be dropped off midway on her Uber ride to visit her mother, as she was going to meet a friend.
Malaysian-born Jenkins, 67, was last seen alive on December 13, 2017, when she took a car booked via the ride-hailing app to visit her mother after a dental appointment.
Uber driver Tan Tiang Guan, 64, told the inquest that Jenkins had asked to be dropped off before reaching her intended destination, telling him that a “friend” was going to pick her up.
Tan, who may be the last known person to have seen Jenkins alive, said he was initially hired via the ride-hailing application to send her to Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic aged care home where Jenkins’ mother was staying.
However, Jenkins had asked to be dropped off when they reached Scotland Road. Due to traffic, Tan said he told her that he would do so once they get past the traffic light.
From there, he said he turned towards the Ramakrishna Ashram and dropped her off a few feet from the gate.
Tan said Jenkins paid the RM1 promo fee and alighted from his car. He said he was unsure if Jenkins had a mobile phone, as he did not see her receiving or making any calls during the trip.
As he drove off, Tan said he took a glance at where he dropped Jenkins off and saw her walking towards the Ashram.
The entire ride happened between 4.30pm and 4.45pm, the court was told.
Tan said he provided a signed statement to the police when they contacted him a few days after the ride, though they did not ask to inspect his car, withhold his mobile phone for investigation or ask to produce a statement from Uber.
The inquest before coroner Norsalha Hamzah continues tomorrow with two more witnesses – dentist Dr Lee Wooi Seng, who carried out Jenkins’ dental treatment, and the investigating officer in charge of Jenkins’ case in 2017.
Parit Buntar-born Jenkins was in Penang on a short holiday with her husband, Frank Jenkins in December 2017 before she went missing.
Her remains were found at a construction site in Batu Gantong here in June 2020, about 2km from where she was last seen. – The Vibes, March 30, 2022
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