Witness testifies he arrested Sulu Sultan’s nephew wanted by police

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KOTA KINABALU: The High Court here yesterday heard that a man who allegedly tried to escape to the bushes but was later arrested said, “My name is Datu Amirbahar,” to a senior officer during an operation at Kampung Sri Melor Bugaya in Semporna two years ago.

Operative sniper of the Bukit Aman Special Task Unit (UTK), Sub Inspector Talib Sahib, 48, told Justice Stephen Chung that the man, who is a nephew of the late self-styled Sulu Sultan III Datu Jamalul Kiram, admitted his name after the witness’ superior asked him about his name.

“ACP Azhani, who was the first person to arrive at my location, had asked the man about his name to which the man replied that he is Datu Amirbahar,” said the 89th witness under examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar.

The witness testified that when he heard Datu Amirbahar say his name, he then realised that the person he just managed to arrest was a person wanted by the police.

The operation was launched to observe a house located at the edge of Kampung Sri Melor Bugaya, believed to be the place where Datu Amirbahar hid in, as an accused named Nurhaida Ibnahi was also arrested at the same place for allegedly sheltering a person believed to be a member of a terrorist group.

To a question by Mohd Dusuki, the witness also testified that when he was carrying out an observation using night vision goggles behind a pile of bamboos at the bushes area, he first saw two persons in front of the house before another person came to join them.

“I’m not sure where the third person came from, maybe when I was observing from another angle I did not realise the person was there,” said the witness adding that, at that time, he still could not verify the genders of the three persons.

Talib further explained that as he was observing them, he noticed the three persons walking towards his direction using a path there and he managed to identify that they were two men and a woman.

“I continued my observation until they came nearer to me and I let them walk past me for about two to three meters, then I shouted ‘Down, down, police, police’ to which three of them were seen trying to escape.

“I gave a chase and I managed to catch Datu Amirbahar, who was the last one heading towards the bushes, as I grabbed him from behind and he fell to the ground,” the witness explained.

He added that there was a struggle with Datu Amirbahar during the arrest and after that, he ordered Datu Amirbahar to squat down.

“I then sought help from ASP Khairani and corporal Fitri, who were my teammates, to guard Datu Amirbahar while I, together with Corporal Azri Muji, proceeded to chase the other two suspects.

“However, our search failed as I had to stop at the distance of 50 metres because it was too dark and the bushes were thick,” he said.

Talib further said that he and his teammate returned to their position and shouted for help from the other teams nearby the area.

He also testified that ACP Azhani was the first person to arrive at the scene and he informed ACP Azhani that he managed to arrest one of the three persons.

The trial was against Datu Amirbahar and 29 others arrested for allegedly committing acts of terrorism at several places in Lahad Datu, Semporna, Kunak and Sandakan between February 12 and April 10, 2013.

They are liable to the mandatory death sentence while the rest face life imprisonment and a fine, upon conviction.

The trial will continue today.