SEREMBAN: A police officer admitted he was shocked by the revelation of new information pertaining to the ongoing trial of former Tabung Haji employee Mohd Nor Hisham Abdul Wahab and car dealer Mohd Hasbullah Zulkifli, who are jointly charged with cheating Tabung Haji of RM700,000 in 2001.
Senior investigating officer Asst Supt Salleh Mohamad, 53, said he was not aware that a convict, Sayid Abdullah Sayid Mohammad, had hidden a lot of information from him.
He agreed with defence counsel Shukri Mohamad that he had no knowledge of “Kori,” “Mat Panjang,” or Mohd Nor Idrus and the role each of them played in the cheating case.
“I agreed that if I knew their roles in connection with the case, I would have definitely conducted a more thorough investigation.
“But it is not possible that the outcome will be much different from today,” he said during cross-examination at the Sessions Court yesterday.
He also admitted that he did not seek the help of Interpol to trace two suspects who were still at large, or conduct a raid on a suspect’s house in Kampung Melor, Kelantan.
ASP Salleh, however, disagreed with a suggestion that he had not carried out the investigation diligently.
“The police are still tracking down the two remaining suspects,'' he added.
Mohd Nor Hisham, 23, and Mohd Hasbullah, 31, are said to have committed the offence through Sayid Abdullah, who claimed to be Wan Haron Wan Hamid, the genuine bearer of a Tabung Haji account.
They were charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Act, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years, whipping and a fine.
Judge Mohd Zaki Abdul Wahab fixed Oct 26 for submissions.
