KOTA KINABALU: The High Court here was told that a police forensics officer failed to trace any fingerprint off two sets of items seized during ‘Ops Daulat’, an operation to rid Lahad Datu of Sulu intruders.
ASP Tha Na Sak said he and his team inspected a set of seized items on March 29, 2013 and another on April 1, the same year.
“My team and I sorted out the exhibits and we put markings. I also conducted fingerprint lifting on certain exhibits, but I failed to trace any,” he said.
The forensics officer from the Johor police contingent headquarters was testifying at the trial of 30 individuals linked to the intrusion by Sulu gunmen at Kampung Tanduo, Lahad Datu in February 2013.
Tha told the court he and his team inspected the first set at the hall of the Lahad Datu police headquarters and the other, at the Lahad Datu Marine Police Base.
He said the items were received in Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) plastics, but after he and his team processed them, the RMP plastics were not re-used and instead, the items were placed in police forensics sealed packages each.
Among the items were clothings, blanket and a Nokia handphone without battery and battery cover, he added.
In the dock are 27 Filipinos and three local residents who are facing one to multiple charges of being members of a terrorist group and waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.
They are also alleged to have recruited members for a terrorist group or wilfully harboured individuals they knew to be members of a terrorist group.
The offences were allegedly committed between Feb 12 and April 10, 2013. The hearing, before Justice Stephen Chung at the Sabah Prisons Department continues today. — Bernama