The defence team began robustly in the Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin sedition trial, when they said that the police search conducted at RPK’s house, on 2nd May 2008, had been carried out in a reckless, incorrect and unlawful manner.
On Wednesday 8th October 2008 defense lawyer Gobind Singh Deo questioned police cyber security chief Superintendent Victor Sanjos, regarding why he did not get a search warrant before going to the blogger’s house that day.
Gobind Singh asked Supt. Victor if he was familiar with the provision of the Sedition Act 1948, to which the fourth witness replied that he understood it.
When he was asked by lawyer Gobind Singh if a search warrant was required for the purpose ,unless there was reason to believe or suspect that the evidence would be disposed of, Supt. Victor said he did not need a warrant as the case was investigated under the Sedition Act, he added, “I have the power”.
This resulted in Gobind Singh firing back at the witness saying that Section 8 of the same Act clearly explained the matter.
Supt. Victor, who is attached to Police Commercial Crimes Investigations department at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur, however disagreed.
Gobind Singh then suggested that the inspection conducted at Raja Petra’s house, by Supt Victor, was done with complete disregard for the law when it required him to obtain a search warrant for the purpose.
Supt Victor again denied this suggestion.
To another question, he said he did not arrest Raja Petra on the same day as he had no reason to do so.
He agreed that a special task force had been set up for the sedition case as it was “opened” at Bukit Aman with each officer playing their respective role. Supt Victor said he was appointed to take part in the task force on 1st May 2008 by his superior officer, ACP Mohd Kamaruddin Md Din where “all cases were treated with urgency”.
He said he did not feel pressured when he conducted the inspection as “it is routine” in his job.
Supt Victor said the purpose of the visit was to search and seize any evidence in relation to a police report. He said he started to search the house at 09:55 and had asked the blogger about the computer he used to access the Internet.
“He told me that he already knew that the police would be coming by and I told him to just let me do my job,” he went on to say Raja Petra, had showed him the computer located on the first floor of his house.
“I seized the central processing unit and a notebook computer from the same area,” he said, adding that he prepared a search list and gave a copy to the blogger after the accused had signed it.
He said he later lodged a police report regarding the search and the seizure of the items and handed over the personal computer as well as the portable computer to the investigating officer.
Questioned by lawyer J. Chandra, he said that ACP Mohd Kamaruddin had showed him an on-line article entitled “Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to Hell” before he had gone to Raja Petra's house.
He said he has been instructed to seize any computers and data storage devices.
He stated he had contacted Raja Petra at 15:10 on the same day asking him to come to his office where two senior officers recorded his statement.
The hearing before Sessions Court judge Rozina Ayob will continue on Thursday 9th October 2008.
Fiat justitia (et ruat caelum)
Let justice be done. (though the heavens fall)
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