Cop jailed 12 years over terror links

KUALA LUMPUR: A police lance corporal was sentenced to 12 years in jail by the High Court here yesterday after being found guilty of three charges of involvement in terrorism, last year.

Justice Datuk Nordin Hassan held that the defence failed to cast any reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case against Mustaza Abdul Rahman, 30, a father of one.

After the verdict, the policeman’s family were seen weeping while his wife was uncontrollable and clung to him.

Mustaza appeared calm while being led out, but then uttered to his police escorts, “Allah ada.. jumpa di padang Masyar” (God sees everything.. we’ll meet on judgement day).

Nordin in his judgement noted that the policeman, in denying the three charges, claimed that he lost two mobile phones and that the sim cards from the sets were removed by other individuals who used his identity to join a terrorist group.

However, the judge held there was no evidence to show that the crucial fact was communicated to the investigating officer in the case.

“The testimony about the handphones is not backed up with evidence as no police report had been lodged. His wife also never testified that he had lost his handphones and neither was she questioned about it by the accused’s counsel,” the judge said.

Nordin meted out 12 years on Mustaza for the first charge and another 12 years for the third charge, and seven years for the second charge. The sentences are to run concurrently from June 29, 2016.

On the first charge, Mustaza who was based at Kuala Muda District Police Headquarters in Sungai Petani, Kedah, was accused of consciously supporting a terrorist act involving explosives with an aim to promote an ideology that is intimidating to Malaysians.

He committed the offence through the ‘Telegram’ application in a group chat, ‘amanah’, using his handphone. On the second charge, Mustaza was accused of consciously concealing information about terroristrelated offences.

On the third charge, he was accused of consciously giving support to Daesh terrorists by pledging allegiance to the group through the Telegram application in the chat group ‘gagak hitam’, using his handphone.

He committed all three offences at G7-1-1, Blok Iksora, Perumahan Polis IPD Kuala Muda, Sungai Petani, Kedah between March 30 and July 29, 2016.

The prosecution called 13 witnesses while the defence, four, during the trial which commenced on April 18, this year.

Counsel Farida Mohammad told the court in mitigation that the accused had been remanded for one and a half years, never been involved in any crime or faced disciplinary action before the Royal Malaysia Police.

“The accusations caused him to fall into depression that he had to be referred to a psychiatrist. All he wants is to go home to his family,” she submitted.

However, deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P. Kunyalam urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence and take into account that the case had gone full trial.

“The accused opted to plead not guilty and so has no right to get a discount in the punishment,” he submitted.