8 more suspects charged over intrusion

LAHAD DATU - Eight more people have been charged in connection with the Lahad Datu intrusion, bringing the total number of people charged to 16.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Hamza Taib said the suspects were charged yesterday under Section 130 KA of the Penal Code for terrorism read with the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

"They will be brought to the High Court for a hearing tomorrow," he said at the daily Ops Daulat media briefing in Felda Sahabat.

He said police believed only about 10 gunmen were left within the Kampung Sungai Bilis, Kampung Lok Sembuang and Kampung Lok Buani areas.

"We are not ruling out the possibility that they have started posing as villagers but the authorities have their own ways to detect them and will arrest them soon," Datuk Hamza said.

He also assured villagers, who were recently allowed to return to their villages, of their safety as security officials were still present around the villages and other areas in Lahad Datu for security purposes.

"Our personnel are still on standby so there is no need to worry," Datuk Hamza added.