PUTRAJAYA: The man who ran amok at Complex B, Prime Minister’s Department and was armed with a samurai sword claimed that he was ‘Imam Mahadi’’, the Sessions Court here was told yesterday.
A former security guard at the security unit of the Prime Minister’s Department, Kamarunzaman Samat, said he heard the man said so during his conversation with him on July 9 last year.
He said the man had earlier said he was from the Al-Maunah group and was prepared to die no matter what happened on that day, and then heard him mentioned ‘Imam Mahadi’.
Kamarunzaman, 58, said the man also told him his purpose of coming to the complex was to meet the prime minister because he “tidak suka dengan pemerintahan sekarang” (doesn’t like the current administration).
However, he disagreed with defence counsel M Visvanathan, who said that the man, who went with a woman armed with a sword, to the complex, or anyone who went to the complex and claimed to be ‘Imam Mahadi’ as mad.
Kamarunzaman, who retired last January, was testifying on the third day trial of Muhdalena Ahmad, 28, who is facing four charges under the Penal Code, the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act 1958 and the Restricted Area and Prohibited Places Act 1959.
She is accused of criminal intimidation with intent to cause grievous hurt to an auxiliary police personnel, Lance Corporal Ridzuan Megat Ahmad, in the vicinity of Complex B of the Prime Minister’s Department on July 9, 2012.
Muhdalena is also charged with possession of a weapon (sword) at the same place and time.
For the charges under the Restricted Area and Prohibited Places Act, Muhdalena is alleged to have disobeyed Ridzuan’s orders to put down the sword and for failing to abide by a minister’s order to obtain a pass or permit before entering the premises.
Earlier, Sessions Court Judge Mohamad Kamil Nizam , as well as the prosecution and defence in the case, were taken to Complex B of the Prime Minister’s Department, where the incident took place.
The visit was arranged to provide them with a better insight on the alleged incident as described by Kamarunzaman in his testimony.
During the half-an-hour visit, Kamarunzaman, who is the sixth prosecution witness, was also questioned by the prosecution and the defence.
Yesterday, Kamarunzaman told the court how a man and a woman, who he identified as Muhdalena, and were armed with swords, ran amok in front of the complex.
Proceeding continued after the visit with cross-examination by Visvanathan, followed by re-examination by the prosecution.
The hearing continues on April 22. — Bernama