High Court issues warrant of arrest for absent chemist
MIRI: The High Court here yesterday issued a warrant of arrest for a chemist who failed to turn up in court yesterday to testify at the Bill Kayong murder trial.
Judge Ravintharan Paramaguru said the warrant of arrest had to be issued to Mohd Riduan Md Bakhair, who is with the Chemistry Department in Kuching.
“His absence to me is not acceptable as a subpoena has been served two weeks ago. Mohd Riduan needs to testify in court tomorrow,” Ravintharan said.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Mohd Fuad Abdul Aziz told the court that on Monday morning, Mohd Riduan had informed investigating officer ( IO) ASP Lee Chee Keat that he would be able to testify. However, at 9.40pm on the same day, he informed Lee there was no seat on the flight.
Meanwhile, the 12th witness, Zaliha Suadi, a scientific officer at the Chemistry Department in Kuching, when testifying on Monday, said she had handed over four exhibits to Mohd Riduan for criminalistics analysis.
Yesterday, the fifth day of the trial, two police personnel testified in court. They were Inspector Andrew Binjau JR from the Crime Investigation Department ( CID) of the Miri District Police and Sergeant Jifen Sotok from the Forensic Unit of police headquarters in Kuching.
Andrew, 32, told the court that he and several police personnel were instructed by the IO on July 7, 2016 to bring Mohamad Fitri Pauzi, the first accused, to have his blood samples and nail clippings taken at Miri Hospital.
Upon cross examination by Counsel Ranbir Singh, Andrew said there was no problem in carrying the task of bringing the accused, while Dr Jasmin from Miri Hospital took the blood samples and nail clippings accordingly and subsequently handed them to him to be given to ASP Lee.
Queried further whether the blood specimen was sealed, Andrew said he was not sure as he was only given an envelope.
Jifen meanwhile said on July 8, 2016, he was at Miri Central Police
His absence to me is not acceptable as a subpoena has been served two weeks ago. Mohd Riduan needs to testify in court tomorrow. Ravintharan Paramaguru, judge
Station assisting ASP Lee in an investigation on a confiscated car related to the murder case.
Among the tasks conducted were swabbing the car’s steering wheel, handbreak and gear. Upon further inspection of the car, he found strands of hair on the front passenger seat. All exhibits were properly packed and handed over to Lee.
Asked further by Mohd Fuad, Jifen said he also conducted swabbings on the shotgun and bullets but didn’t conduct swabbing on the face mask which was handed over to him by Lee
Cross examined by Ranbir, Jifen agreed seeing in the photograph (court exhibit) a man in orange clothing handling the pouch barehanded. He agreed that such action could contaminate the deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) and Gun Shot Residue ( GSR) before swabbing.
However, under re- cross examination by Mohd Fuad, Jifen said although touching the exhibit barehanded could contaminate the DNA and GSR, the original DNA would still be on the exhibit concerned.
Hearing continues at 9.30am today.
So far 16 prosecution witnesses have testified against Mohamad Fitri and three others, since the trial started on March 7, 2017.
Mohamad Fitri is accused of the murder of Bill on June 21, 2016 at the traffic light intersection near E- Mart Supermarket in Kuala Baram Bypass around 8.20am.
Three other locals – Lie Chang Loon, 38, from Pin Fook Garden, Datuk Stephen Lee Chee Kiang, 46, of Woodhouse Road, and Chin Wui Ching, 51, of Lane 5 Krokop are charged with abetment (abetting Mohd Fitri) – an offence punishable under Section 109 read together with Section 302 of the Penal Code, which carry the mandatory death sentence upon conviction