Nineteen suspects in Kg Tanduo intrusion to know their fate today
KOTA KINABALU: The 19 people facing various charges, including waging war against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong following the Kg Tanduo intrusion in Lahad Datu three years ago, will know their fate today.
Justice Stephen Chung is expected to deliver his judgment over a period of two days at a specially converted High Court at the State Prisons Department in Kepayan near here.
Security is expected to be extra tight to prevent any untoward incident. The accused – 16 Filipinos and three Malaysians – have been on trial for the past 30 months.
Among the Filipinos is the nephew of Agbimuddin Kiram who led the intrusion, Amirbahar Hushin Kiram Hussin Abu Bakar.
Apart from waging war against the King, some of the accused were also charged under Section 130E for recruiting members for a terrorist group linked to the Feb 12, 2013, intrusion.
Some were also charged under Section 130K for harbouring persons committing terrorist acts and Section 130KA for being member of a terrorist group.
Two Malaysians pleaded guilty to the charges against them except Abdul Hadi Mawan, who was charged under Section 130KA for being a member of a terrorist group.
The 19 are the remaining suspects from the earlier 30 (27 Filipinos and three Malaysians) arrested after the intrusion which saw 60 people, including nine Malaysian security personnel, killed in the operations against the gunmen.
On Feb 5, Chung ordered the 19 to enter their defence after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in making a prima facie case against them.
The intrusion came following orders from the then self-proclaimed Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III to his brother, Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram to make the claims on Sabah.
Agbimuddin was said to have led more than 200 royal sultanate forces into Tanduo, which resulted in a standoff and skirmish with the Malaysian security forces.
Agbimuddin managed to escape to the Philippines as the Malaysian security personnel pushed forward against the intruders in April. He died of a heart attack at his house in Simunul in January 2015.