Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA/AUSTRALIA – An Australian government source confirmed on Monday that Malaysian policeman Sirul Azhar Umar, who was convicted of the murder of Mongolian woman Altantuya Shaariibuu, has been released from detention in Australia after nearly nine years.

Sirul, along with fellow police officer Azilah Hadri, was sentenced to death in Malaysia for the 2006 murder of Shaariibuu, who was an interpreter to a former associate of ex-Prime Minister Najib Razak. The case has been at the center of a longstanding political scandal, with the question of who ordered the killing still unanswered.

Sirul had been held in an Australian immigration detention center since January 2015, after fleeing Malaysia shortly before the guilty verdict was handed down. His release comes following a significant ruling by Australia’s High Court that prohibited indefinite immigration detention, resulting in the release of several asylum seekers.

Following his release, Sirul is reported to be living in Canberra with his son, according to Australian media. Malaysia’s top police official, Razarudin Husain, confirmed the news of Sirul’s release and said that police would discuss the possibility of seeking extradition with the Attorney-General and the courts.

In April, Malaysia passed legal reforms eliminating the mandatory death penalty, allowing those facing the punishment to seek a sentencing review. Under Australian law, a person cannot be deported if they face the death penalty. Meanwhile, Sirul’s co-accused, Azilah, remains on death row in Malaysia.

The murder of Shaariibuu remains a deeply troubling case, with allegations that it may have been linked to her role as an interpreter in Malaysia’s purchase of two French submarines in 2002. Former Prime Minister Najib, who was defense minister at the time of the murder, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the case.

The release of Sirul Azhar Umar from detention in Australia has rekindled interest in the long-standing case of the murder of Altantuya Shaariibuu, and has prompted discussions about the possibility of extradition back to Malaysia. The case has been a source of ongoing political scandal and intrigue, with questions remaining about who ordered the killing. Archaic reporting standards and practices and how it may have affected the outcome of the case has also been a topic of discussion among legal and human rights experts.