KOTA KINABALU: A General Operations Force (GOF) commando testified in the High Court here that he was asked to prepare his men to surround the ‘rumah kongsi’ as the alleged Sulu gunmen had arrived at Kampung Tanduo in Lahad Datu using ‘Tempel’ boats on February 12, 2013.
Inspector Shogghirajan S/O Nagendram, 29, told Justice Stephen Chung that upon receiving that information, his superior instructed him to gather his personnel to be moved to that ‘rumah kongsi’.
“On that day at about noon, my boss informed me that the alleged Sulu gunmen had reached that village at about 10am using boats called ‘Tempel’,” he said under examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Ishak Mad Yusoff yesterday.
The 48th witness from Platoon 7, Battalion 17, was testifying in the trial of 29 men and a woman, who included the nephew of the late self-styled Sulu Sultan III, Datu Amirbahar Hushin Kiram, who were alleged to have committed terrorism acts at several places in Lahad Datu, Semporna, Kunak and Sandakan between February 12 and April 10, 2013.
The accused persons face the mandatory death sentence while the rest are liable to imprisonment for life and a fine, upon conviction.
To a question by Mohd Ishak, the witness said he and his men, who were from a team called Company C, started to enter Kampung Tanduo on February 13, 2013 and were there until February 16, 2013.
When asked by Mohd Ishak: “While you and your men were at the ‘rumah kongsi’, did you receive any instruction from your superior?”
Witness: “Yes, we were ordered to stand by at that location.”
To another question by Mohd Ishak, the witness explained that his team was accompanied by other GOF personnel from Company A.
He further said in his testimony that he was briefed by his superior that Kampung Tanduo had been vacated by civilians and villagers.
The hearing was held at a hall which doubled as an open court at Kepayan prisons here under tight security checks by prison and police personnel.
It continues today.