KOTA KINABALU: Six police personnel killed in an ambush in Semporna on March 2 last year were found in a gruesome state, the High Court here was told yesterday.
Investigating officer Insp Jamirin Kintai, who was part of a team in extracting the bodies of the policemen from Kampung Simunul, Semporna at 6.45pm on March 3 last year, said two of the victims were decapitated.
“Sergeant Baharin Hamid was decapitated with his brain and right eye missing from his skull and there were fractures on his face. Lance Corporal Mohd Azrul Tukiran was also beheaded and had injuries on his body, skin and flesh. His face had been removed and only exposed his facial bones,” he said.
Jamirin also told the court that Lance Corporal Salam Togiran was “almost decapitated with his head attached to his body by a few inches of skin at the neck.”
Slash wounds were present on the heads and bodies of Sergeant Abdul Aziz Sakiran and Superintendent Ibrahim Lebar, while ASP Michael Padel sustained injuries on both his shoulders and chest, he said. During cross-examination, Jamirin said he discovered that the incident involving the six policemen was related to the intrusion by Sulu gunmen at Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu, in Febraury last year.
Meanwhile, Bukit Aman Special Branch officer ASP Mohamad Hasnal Jamil told the court three of the accused were named in a communication interception conducted at Bukit Aman from Feb 14-17 last year regarding the intrusion in Lahad Datu.
He identified the accused as Salib Akhmad Emali, Julham Rashid and Al Wazir Osman alias Abdul. He said eight mobile phone numbers were intercepted, in which three numbers 019-5398122 used by Salib Akhmad; 012-8384472 used by Julham and 014-6774272 used by an individual known as ‘Imam Tua’ and later identified as Al Wazir, were the most active in communication with one other number, 014-2847213, used by one Raja Muda Agbimuddin.
“How did you know of the names of these individuals?” asked Deputy Public Prosecutor Datuk Abdul Wahab Mohamed.
Mohamad Hasnal answered: “We had been monitoring the communication of the users of the numbers and those names were mentioned.” The Special Branch officer told the court that he was instructed by the late Ibrahim to fly to Lahad Datu on Feb 18 last year to carry out surveillance on the three individuals for a week beginning Feb 19 last year.
He said on Feb 25 last year, he briefed a police officer, ASP Noraidin Awang Maidin, at the Tungku police station in Lahad Datu on apprehending Salib Akhmad at Abadi Emas Oil Palm Plantation in Tungku.
On March 1 last year, he said he had provided related information at the Semporna police station to apprehend Julham at Kampung Pangkalan Badai, Kunak and Al Wazir in
Semporna.
Salib Akhmad, Julham and Al Wazir are charged with waging war aggainst the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which carries the death sentence or life imprisonment, and being members of a terrorist group, an offence punishable with life imprisonment and a fine. Salib Akhmad is also charged with recruiting members for a terrorist group.
They are among thirty accused, comprising 27 Filipinos and three local residents, jointly tried in the case, in which some are facing multiple charges of being members of a terrorist group or waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, or willfully harbouring individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group. The hearing before Justice Stephen Chung at the Sabah Prisons Department continues today. — Bernama