Lahad Datu terrorist suspects charged in court

The men aged between 17 and 67 from the Southern Philippines were brought to police headquarters that was made as a temporary court at 10am under tight security with over 50 armed policemen.

The suspects clad in purple lock-up uniforms were brought in three separate police trucks; all eight were divided into groups.

It was the first charge being carried out in the midst of the Sulu terrorist’s intrusion in Lahad Datu.

The suspects were charged under Section 130 of the Penal Code for being members of a terrorist group and under Section 121 of the same act for waging a war against the Yang DiPertuan Agong.

For the first charge, they are eligible for life imprisonment while the second charge is liable for the death penalty.

The charge was read in Bajau and Sulu dialects to the suspects in front of the Session Court judge Amelati Parnell and no pleas were recorded.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar and Deputy Head of Prosecution Division (Policy) Datuk Nordin Ahmad from the Attorney-General’s Chambers in Putrajaya represented the prosecution team.

Meanwhile, the case had been ordered for a transfer to the Tawau High Court.

The suspects were investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 and the date for the case to be mentioned will be ordered by the high court soon.