16 Accused in Lahad Datu Intrusion Case Withdraw Appeal Against Terrorist-Related Charges

By Jocelyn Ann Dragon PUTRAJAYA, June 6 (Bernama) -- Sixteen accused persons in the Lahad Datu intrusion case will serve jail sentences of between 13 years and 18 years for terrorism-related offences after they withdrew their appeals against conviction and jail term for the offence. They included three Malaysians, Pabblo Alie, Abdul Hadi Mawan and Mohamad Ali Ahmad and 13 Filipinos including Datu Amirbahar Hushin Kiram, the nephew of the late self-proclaimed Sultan of Sulu, Jamalul Kiram. The other Filipinos were Julham Rashid, Lin Mad Salleh, Virgilio Nemar Patulada @ Mohamad Alam Patulada, Salib Akhmad Emali, Tani Lahad Dahi, Basad H. Manuel, Aiman Radie, Holland Kalbi, Ismail Yasin, Atik Hussin Abu Bakar, Al-Wazir Osman and Timhar Hadil. They were among 28 men in purple and green prison clothes aged between 21 and 77, who were brought to the Court of Appeal Tuesday, under tight security on the first day of hearing of their respective appeals and the prosecution's appeal. The appeal hearing is scheduled to be held for three days at the Federal Court room declared as the appellate court. Justice Mohd Zawawi Salleh chairing the appellate court’s three-man bench subsequently, struck out their appeals and upheld the conviction and sentences meted out on them by the Kota Kinabalu High Court last year. Pabblo, Mohamad Ali and Abdul Hadi were each sentenced to 15 years’ jail by the High Court after they respectively pleaded guilty to the charges of inciting or promoting a terrorist act, soliciting support for a terrorist group and being a member of a terrorist group. As for the Filipinos, Lin Mat Salleh, Virgilio Nemar, Basad, Aiman, Holland, Ismail and Atik Hussin were sentenced to 13 years’ jail each for the offence of being a member of the terrorist group while Salib Akhmad and Timhar were given a 15-year jail sentence each for the same offence. Meanwhile, Julham, Tani Lahad, Amirbahar and Al-Wazir were each sentenced to 18 years’ jail by the High Court for being a member of the terrorist group. However, nine of the men -- Julham, Virgilio Nemar, Salib, Tani Lahad, Basad, Amirbahar, Atik Hussin, Al-Wazir and Ismail -- will proceed with their appeal against the High Court decision in convicting them for waging war against the Yang-di-Pertuan Agong in which they were given life imprisonment. The prosecution team led by deputy head of the appellate and trial division Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud is appealing on the sentence, pressing for death sentence to be imposed on them. The trial began in January 2014 at the High Court in Kota Kinabalu, with 30 individuals including a woman who were accused of various offences linked to the armed intrusion at Kampung Tanduo, in Malaysia's state of Sabah, in February 2013. The woman, a Filipino who lives in Sabah, Norhaida Ibnahi was given 10 years in prison by the High Court after she was convicted for harbouring a member of a terrorist group that intruded Kampung Tanduo. She did not appeal while another man Habil Suhaili has died. The panel of judges also including justices Datuk Abdul Rahman Sebli and Datuk Kamardin Hashim, thereafter proceeded to hear the prosecution's appeal against the acquittal and discharge of 12 Filipinos for the offences of allegedly waging war against the Yang-di Pertuan Agong and terrorist-related offences. They are Masir Aidin, Anwar Salib Akhmad, Binhar Salib Akhmad, Rijmal Salleh, Abdul Majil Jubin, Rizman Gulan, Basil Samiul, Totoh Hismullah, Saidili Jaharul, Kadir Uyung, Lating Tiong and Dani Ismail. Lawyer N. Sivananthan represented 25 accused persons; Abdul Ghani Zelika represented Pabblo and Abdul Hadi; while Ram Singh represented Mohd Ali. Hearing continues Wednesday. -- BERNAMA