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 KOTA KINABALU, January 7, 2016: The failure of the prosecution to produce
the star witness of the ongoing trial of the alleged Sulu gunmen intrusion
at Tanduo is a cause for concern, said former chief minister Datuk Yong
Teck Lee.
According to news reports, the prosecution in the trial of 30 accused
persons, who are alleged to be involved in the February 2013 armed
intrusion at Tanduo, Lahad Datu has failed to locate and subpoena one SAC
Zulkifli Hj. Abd Aziz, who was at the time, the assistant head of the
Sabah Special Branch of the police force, to give evidence at the trial.
SAC Zulkifli is reported to have "served in Sabah for a long period, had
great and specific knowledge on Sulu sultanate and had personal contacts
in Southern Philippines" and "had handled all kidnapping cases in Sabah in
terms of intelligence for the past 15 years" and "led the negotiations
between Malaysian authorities and the Sulu gunmen's leader in Kampong
Tanduo."
The High Court had in December last year granted more time for the
prosecution to locate and subpoena SAC Zulkifli. As the prosecution was
still unable to produce Zulkifli in court yesterday, the prosecution had
to complete its case without the benefit of the evidence of its star
witness.
Yong said Zulkifli was a senior cop who retired only in November 2014,
according to news reports.
"He is not a stranger to the police force. He was supposed to be the star
witness in a very important criminal trial which has been going on for two
years. How could it be so difficult to locate and subpoena him? Therefore,
I find the case of this missing star witness a cause for concern," Yong
told.
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