KOTA KINABALU: The High Court here yesterday heard that an intercepted phone conversation between an accused, Panglima Julham, and the late self-proclaimed Sultanate of Sulu crown prince Datu Agbimuddin Kiram revealed that the latter had received information from an informant believed to be a policeman.
Special branch supervising officer of the communication interception division, ASP Muhammad Fauzarri Jaidin told Justice Stephen Chung that in that conversation, Datu Agbimuddin told Panglima (commando) Julham (full name Julham Rashid) that the informer which Datu Agbimuddin called ‘our relative’ had asked them to be on alert that night.
Under examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar, the witness testified that in another intercepted phone conversation, Julham then made a call to an unknown man identified as ‘lelaki Sabah’ (Sabah male) to inform that Datu Agbimuddin had asked them to be on alert and to extend that information to all their fellows.
To a question by Mohd Dusuki, the witness also testified that an unknown woman identified as ‘wanita Sabah’ (Sabah woman) using the phone number of Julham 0146774273 had made a call to one identified as Neng but no phone number had been detected from the call receiver, in which ‘wanita Sabah’ told Neng that a ship that was supposed to take Datu Agbimuddin and his followers had gone back.
“That ‘wanita Sabah’ further told Neng that Datu Agbimuddin was firm in his stand not to go anywhere and if Neng wanted to know more, ‘wanita Sabah’ asked Neng to go to a house of one Mai as Datu Agbimuddin’s child and younger brother were there.
“Further ‘wanita Sabah’ also said that Datu Agbimuddin’s people had gone to Kunak, Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Semporna as if a war would break out at Kampung Tanduo, then other places would also declare war,” said the witness, adding that ‘wanita Sabah’ and Neng communicated in Malay and Suluk.
Muhammad Fauzarri was the 89th witness called by the prosecution and the first witness to give his evidence on the communication interceptions that said to be ‘the pillar of the charges’ framed against the 29 men and a woman, who were charged with committing terrorism acts.
The 30 accused persons including Julham, a nephew of the late self-styled Sulu Sultanate III, Datu Jamalul Kiram and 28 others were arrested for allegedly committing the offences 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 an imprisonment for life and a fine, upon conviction.
To another question by Mohd Dusuki, the witness also said that Julham had made a phone call to Datu Agbimuddin who told Julham that the Philippine Government seemed to be tolerance and said that that was the stupidity of the Philippine Government.
“Julham said to Datu Agbimuddin that he heard Agong was at Malacanang at that time and wandered if that news was true to which Datu Agbimuddin said that he hoped it was true,” the witness also explained.
Meanwhile, the witness also testified that another communication interception had been made on a phone number of another accused Tani Lahad Dani, which also known as Panglima Tani between February 19 and 20, 2013.
Mohd Dusuki: Can you tell the court the call received from whom to whom (witness referred to an item from a document of a communication interception product under the name of target Tani Lahad Dani@ Panglima Tani)?
Witness: The call was made from an unknown man identified as ‘lelaki Sabah 1’ to an unknown man using the hand phone number of Julham who was later identified as ‘lelaki Sabah 2’.
Mohd Dusuki: Was the phone number of the call receiver similar to the target hand phone number?
Witness: Yes.
Mohd Dusuki: Have you perused the details of the product before supplying it to the special branch coordinating officer?
Witness: Yes.
Mohd Dusuki: What was your understanding about this product?
Witness: ‘lelaki Sabah 1’ informed ‘lelaki Sabah 2’ that one Pak Eting has yet to be freed whom they (referred to Pak Eting and the others) and coincidentally entered felda on the same day when sultan entered there. Pak Eting and the others were hiding in the oil palm plantation until they had been arrested by the authority.
The witness also said that in another phone call from a man identified as Imam Tua to Tani, where Imam Tua told Tani that he had communicated with Datu Agbimuddin a while ago and Datu Agbimuddin informed Imam Tua that a radio station from the Philippines had contacted him (Datu Agbimuddin) to ask whether the Malaysian Government had intimidated Datu Agbimuddin.
“Datu Agbimuddin just said ‘yes’ and said he was not scared as he came with a good intention and to take back their place,” the witness testified.
The trial held at a hall doubled as an open court at the Kepayan prisons here under tight security checks by police and prison personnel will continue on March 30.