KOTA KINABALU: The public in Sabah have been urged to stop spreading rumours of a potential backlash as the High Court here prepares to make its ruling on whether 30 people charged with waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agung will have to enter their defence.
Sabah Police Commisisoner Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun urged people to stop spreading untrue postings as it was creating unnecessary concern and fear among the people in the state.
“If the public have any genuine information of any suspicious activities, inform the police immediately,’’ he said.
He added that police are already investigating a voice message by a woman claiming of a potential reprisal by people linked to the Sulu intruders.
Comm Rashid reassured Sabahans that authorities were constantly taking necessary measures to ensure that peace and security in the state are maintained.
Police have, meanwhile, increased security around the Kepayan state prison where High Court Justice Stephen Chung is set to make a ruling Friday morning on whether the 27 foreigners and three Malaysians involved in the Feb 12, 2013 intrusion will need to enter their defence to the multiple charges levelled against them, including one which carries the death penalty.
A total of 166 witnesses were produced in the hearing which spanned 239 days from Jan 6, 2014 to Jan 5 this year.
During the oral submissions, the defence had contended that there was no evidence produced during the hearing to prove that the actions of some of the accused were tantamount to waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, an offence punishable by death.
Lawyer Datuk N. Sivananthan, who was appointed by the Philippine government to represent its nationals, had told the court that his clients were not caught doing anything incriminating during their arrest and were initially investigated for immigration offences. He had argued that “the mere presence of the accused persons is not incriminating as it is not in dispute that there are thousands of individuals of Sulu descent who have been living in Sabah for ages”.
Their presence “per se does not equate to guilt”, he had said.
Another defence counsel Ram Singh, who is representing Malaysian Mohamad Ali Ahmad, said none of the witnesses who testified against his client could link his actions to the two charges he faces – waging war and being a member of a terrorist group.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar did not deny that the prosecution lacked evidence on certain accused persons there was circumstantial evidence that suggested the the accused persons were involved in the intrusion.
Apart from charges of waging war and being a member of a terrorist group, some of the accused are also alleged to have recruited members for a terrorist group or wilfully harboured individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/02/05/stop-spreading-rumours-sulu-court-case/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.