[UPDATED] Witness tells inquest he reburied Anna Jenkins’ remains in 2020

GEORGE TOWN – A project site manager told the inquest into the death of Adelaide resident Annapuranee Jenkins that he and a staffer identified as “Ah Boy” had reburied what is believed to be the skeletal remains of the Australian grandmother in 2020.

Terrence William Theseira, a project manager with Berjaya Land – the developer of the site where Jenkins’ partial skeletal remains were allegedly found – testified before judge Norsalha Hamzah that they had recited a prayer before laying to rest the remains here.

The inquest proceedings entered its fourth day after resuming last week.

Among the witnesses who testified today were the highest-ranking police officer to date, Northeast district police chief Soffian Santong and state police D9 division head Amir Atong.

The inquest resumes tomorrow.

Jenkins, 67, went missing after she alighted from a ride-sharing car along the busy Scotland Road on December 13, 2017.

Her remains were later found at a construction site near the Penang Turf Club in 2020, following which an inquest by the coroner’s court was established by police to determine the cause of death.

She was visiting her mother here when she mysteriously went missing, and it was three years before her remains were uncovered by a construction worker.

Jenkins was born in Parit Buntar and was married to Francis Jenkins, who was then an officer with the Royal Australian Air Force in Penang. She had relocated to Adelaide with him.

They have two children and two grandchildren from their marriage.

Missing persons procedures

Later during the inquest today, northeast district police chief Soffian Santong took the stand and was asked about police procedures concerning missing persons.

S. Raveentharan, the watching brief lawyer for the Jenkins family, asked how the case was classified as missing persons, when a statement from her husband, Francis, had yet to be taken when the report was filed.

He said under normal circumstances a statement would be taken from the complainant only after a report was filed, and the case would proceed to be investigated under a certain section.

“In this case, there is no (Section) 112 (witness) statements taken. (So), how can it be classified as (missing persons) or an abduction case?" Raveentharan asked Soffian.

Soffian said the matter needs to be referred to the investigating officer.

Later, Penang police D9 division head, Amir Atong, told the inquest that his division was asked to assist with investigations into the missing person case in January 2018.

Amir said that three D9 officers had investigated the victim’s family and friends, apart from visiting churches and taxi stands to locate Jenkins. – The Vibes, October 17, 2022