Witness: Computer data deleted

By M. MAGESWARI

Some data in the notebook computer seized from Malaysia Today editor Raja Petra Raja Kamarudin had been deleted, a computer forensic investigator told the Sessions Court yesterday.

Asst Supt Wa’ie Isqal Kria Abdullah, 38, said the user of the notebook had accessed the Malaysia Today website, but information about the access between April 11 and 26 was not found in the notebook.

Questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Farhan Read, the seventh witness said he believed the notebook user had used a program called “CleanIt.exe” to delete all temporary files.

“In the notebook, I found several access to www.malaysia-today.net for the year 2008 done by the administrator user,” testified ASP Wa’ie, who is with the Computer Forensic Investigation division.

Asked about the meaning of “administrator user”, he replied that such a user had “full access to edit, delete and add.”

In his report, he had stated that the user account named “Raja Petra” was an administrator user.

The blogger Raja Petra had on May 6 claimed trial to publishing a seditious article on his website on April 25. In the afternoon, in an unexpected move, the prosecution applied for permission to allow ASP Wa’ie to reanalyse two computers seized from Raja Petra.

Lead prosecutor DPP Ishak Mohd Yusof applied under Section 425 of the Criminal Procedure Code which empowers the court to summon and examine any person if his evidence was essential for a just decision.

He said ASP Wa’ie had analysed both computers based on an application by investigating officer Deputy Supt Mahfuz Abdul Majid.

He said DSP Mahfuz just ordered ASP Wa’ie to find an alleged seditious article titled “Let’s send the Altantuya murderers to hell” and accessibility to the Malaysia Today website.

“ASP Wa’ie, however, has testified to have spotted several folders in both computers, but he did not open and read those files as he wanted to follow the investigating officer’s order,” argued DPP Ishak on the seventh day of the sedition trial yesterday.

DPP Ishak urged the court to allow ASP Wa’ie to reanalyse both computers and extract several folders found in them.

Lead counsel J. Chandra objected to the application, saying that Section 425 was not applicable because the seventh witness was giving evidence.

Chandra argued that ASP Wa’ie had not been authorised to look into folders as his terms of reference was very specific on the request for his analysis.

Judge Rozina Ayob set today to deliver her decision.

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