Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei's former envoy to Indonesia yesterday told the Magistrate's Court that investigating officers from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) "threatened" him to admit to the crime of illegally asking money from Indonesian employment agents in exchange for issuing hundreds of work visas. Hj Yakib Hj Jumat testified before the court that he was threatened by ACB Special Chief Investigator Hj Balim Hj Bali, before the recording of his first statement in his office on the day of his arrest at the Brunei Embassy in Jakarta on December 6, 2006.

The former diplomat testified that he did not give his statement voluntarily and that he was further threatened by Special Investigator (SI) Morshidi Hj Metussin who recorded his first statement of admission to the charges."I was told to sign the first statement recorded by SI Morshidi by way of oppression of my condition as I was not given food or drinks throughout the day of the recording of the first statement." "I was told by Hj Balim that I had to cooperate with him and said that this matter was known to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade II Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Dewa Dato Seri Setia Lim Jock Seng and that no other minister can help me in this case."

He added that the statement of admission was incorrect as he was in a state of oppression and shock when the investigating officer had mentioned the name of the minister.

Before proceeding to record for his statement, he said that the investigating officer SI Morshidi had pressed him by mentioning a Malay idiom to not behave as a katak di bawah tempurong (frog under a coconut shell) when he kept silent during the recording of his statement. "This is a tactic used against me by SI Morshidi to make me admit to the alleged charges against me," adding that his wife and children were also mentioned into this matter before recording his statement.

Hj Yakib said he was worried of how this would affect his reputation and family name as his family did not know of his situation at that time. He said that he was instructed to record the first statement in his room while he was only given a break to perform his Zuhur, Asar and Maghrib prayers and had not taken food in between. "My request (to perform prayers) was not granted immediately as SI Morshidi had to step outside to perhaps ask for approval from his superiors."

Hj Yakib said that he had gastric problems that day as he only had a glass of warm water before the recording of the statement which lasted from morning until afternoon in his office. "This was a health condition I have had since the 1980s until the present day. Because of this, I have been prescribed one type of medication for this condition."

He said that he needed to eat regularly or he would get gastric pains, and he was taking gastric medication. However, the defendant admitted that he never made any requests for food or drink because he expected it to be offered to him.

Hj Yakib originally faced 26 charges, but six were withdrawn. The trial continues today. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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