Accused claims he thought they were invited to come to M’sia

KOTA KINABALU: A carpenter testified in the High Court here yesterday that he felt happy when Malaysian authorities came to Kampung Tanduo as he thought that would be the moment they were waiting for to get jobs and identity cards (ICs) as promised.

Virgilio Nemar Patulada, 52, who was testifying before Justice Stephen Chung, said he heard that people from the Malaysian government were coming, namely one Tuan Zul and his men to discuss with Datu Agbimuddin Kiram.

“Together with Tuan Zul, I saw Datu Agbimuddin’s brother known as Ampun Piah and other civilians,” said the 16th witness, who spoke in Badjao and testified from the witness dock.

Under examination-in-chief by counsel Majnah Abdillah, the witness also said that the people who came brought food and they also took photographs with those at Kampung Tanduo.

“There was nothing wrong for me to take pictures with them as the situation at that time was like we were all friends and I felt we were invited by the Malaysian government to come here,” he further testified.

To a question by Majnah, the witness, who is a Visaya from Sitangkai Philippines, explained that he came to Sabah after one Hj Musa met his father-in-law and said whoever followed Hj Musa to Sabah will be given a job and IC.

“My father-in-law asked me to go to Kampung Tanduo to become a security guard for the sultan and I was also shown one document of approval letter that we will be given jobs and ICs.

“I entered Malaysia in February, 2013 by boat and together in that boat were another 100 people and three days after we arrived at Kampung Tanduo, another boat arrived and they said it was Datu Agbimuddin,” said the witness, adding that with Datu Agbimuddin were about 20 people some of whom wore army uniforms and carried rifles.

To another question by Majnah, the witness said that they then looked for places to stay and waited for the discussion.

The trial, held at a hall doubled as an open court at the Kepayan prisons here under tight security checks by police and prison personnel, will continue on April 25 for defence trial.