00:00The Federal Court has rejected the applications of seven Filipino men who sought a review
00:06of their death sentences for waging war against the young Tipetuan Agong during the Lahat
00:11Datu incursion 11 years ago.
00:13A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Tengku Maimuntuan Matt unanimously rejected
00:18their applications.
00:20They requested to have their death sentences commuted to imprisonment following the Mandatory
00:24Death Penalty Abolition Act 2023, which allows judges the discretion to impose either the
00:28death penalty or prison sentence of not less than 30 years and up to 40 years.
00:34On July 26, 2016, the Kota Kinabalu High Court sentenced the seven and two others to life
00:39imprisonment after finding them guilty under Section 121 of the Penal Code for waging war
00:44against the young Tipetuan Agong.
00:46It is understood that the two others did not apply for a review of their sentences.
00:50During the trial, the court found no evidence that the accused were directly involved in
00:54any fights during the incursion or that they had brutally killed or injured any security
00:59personnel.
01:00However, on June 8, 2017, the Court of Appeal allowed the prosecution's appeal and imposed
01:04the death penalty on all the accused.
01:06The federal court upheld the death penalty on January 15, 2018.
01:11Samui Chua, FMT News.
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