Stop spreading rumours, cops tell public as court prepares to decide in Lahad Datu intrusion case

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 Agong will have to enter their defence.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Abdul Rashid Harun (pic) urged people to stop the spread of 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 about a potential reprisal by people linked to the Sulu intruders.

The voice message, which was spread via WhatsApp and claimed that “KK is categorised as not safe especially as IPK Sabah no longer safe", has caused much concern among the public.

Rashid reassured Sabahans that the authorities were constantly ensuring that peace and security in the state are maintained.

Meanwhile, police increased security around the Kepayan Prison where High Court Justice Stephen Chung is set to make a ruling Friday on whether the 27 foreigners and three Malaysians involved in the Feb 12, 2013 intrusion will have to enter their defence on the multiple charges levelled against them, including one which carries the death penalty.

A total of 166 witnesses were produced in the trial, which spanned 239 days from Jan 6, 2014 to Jan 5 this year.

During oral submissions, the defence had contended that no evidence had been produced to prove that the actions of some of the accused were tantamount to waging war against the King, 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 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 against the King and being a member of a terrorist group.

DPP Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar did not deny that the prosecution lacked evidence against some of the accused, but there was circumstantial evidence suggesting that they 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 harboured individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group.