Cops say ‘Datuk T’ may be charged

KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 — The police may charge the “Datuk T” trio over the screening of the sex video allegedly featuring Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Federal police CID deputy director Datuk Acryl Sani Abdullah Sani did not dismiss this possibility, stressing that it was an offence under Section 292 of the Penal Code to screen pornographic material.

“But it’s not [for] the police to decide on this (whether to charge those responsible). We will hold a proper press conference on this once everything is completed,” he was quoted as saying by national news agency Bernama.

Acryl added, however, that the police did not have the power to arrest the two people shown having sex in the video.

“There is no legal provision for the police to arrest and take statements from them. We have to refer the matter to the A-G’s Chambers for any review,” he told Bernama.

Datuk Shazryl Eskay Abdullah, Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Thamby Chik and Datuk Shuib Lazim have openly admitted to being the “Datuk T” trio responsible for the screening.

When asked to comment on the investigation papers regarding the case, Acryl said that there was still two matters that needed to be resolved before the papers could be sent to the A-G’s Chambers.

“If possible, we want to submit the investigation papers by this Thursday,” he said.

On March 21, “Datuk T” had shown the 21-minute clip to a group of journalists.

Acryl yesterday announced that police had concluded their investigation into the sex video.

He said the police had wrapped up their investigation under the Penal Code for the distribution of obscene material and that investigation papers would be sent to the Attorney-General’s Chambers soon.

He also said the identity of the owner of the Omega watch, alleged by Shazryl to have been worn by the man in the video, was not central to the case.

A poll conducted by independent survey house Merdeka Center earlier this month, found that the majority of the people interviewed believe Anwar was a victim of character assassination in the latest sex video scandal.

The poll also showed that respondents agree the video had been released to destroy the former deputy prime minister’s political career.