KUALA LUMPUR, March 26 — Raids conducted by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) were never done while armed with a search warrant, the Magistrates court was told today by a Jawi personnel.

Mohd Johan Mohd RIdzuan, a Jawi videographer, revealed this when he took the stand as the fourth witness during the trial of Siti Kasim, an activist who was charged and pleaded not guilty for voluntarily obstructing a Jawi officer, Sit Nor Jihan Saleh @ Md Ghazali, from discharging her public functions, during a raid at the Renaissance Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, on April 3, 2016.

"Whenever we go to a location, in any case, I never saw a warrant ever issued.

"We (Jawi) do not need a warrant to do checks, and on this night I did not see any warrant,” he said.

His answer drew loud gasps from the courtroom that was filled with more than 70 people comprising news reporters, Jawi employees, and a diverse group of Siti’s supporters.

This was in reply to a video presented in court, recorded by Mohd Johan himself, where Siti can be seen requesting a search warrant from a Jawi officer during the event in April 2016.

Mohd Johan, who took the stand on the third day of trial for Siti, was responding to a cross examination done by lead defence counsel Suzana Norlihan Alias.

Magistrate court judge Maizatul Munirah Abd Rahman presided over the trial while Deputy Public Prosecutor Hafizza Sauni prosecuted.

During the cross examination, several videos shot by Mohd Johan during the incident were presented in court as Suzana constructed her questions towards him based on clips of his recordings shown.

Having already revealed no warrants were used, Mohd Johan then agreed to the counsel’s questions that based on the videos, Siti had shown cooperation towards Jawi officials that night.  

"Based on the video, you agree Siti introduced herself as a lawyer twice, and that Jawi were not stopped when they tried to enter the hall or when they gave instructions over the microphone,” Suzana asked.

"Yes, I agree,” Mohd Johan answered.

Probing then shifted towards his understanding of the event, where the defence stated it was a dinner with a pageant themed performance, and not a full blown beauty competition as described by Mohd Johan.

"When we were briefed before coming, we were told there was a pageant going on, that is what I expected to see.

"My superior Tuan Akmal told us they were alerted of the event by a member of the public, and said that activities at the event were against the Fatwa,” he said.

Mohd Johan was later asked why he deduced it was an actual pageant, where he explained the mannerism of the event was what convinced him.

"To me, from the manner of it, it seemed like a pageant.

"Every competition has a winner, and so happen when I walked in the emcee was announcing the winners, so that made me believe,” Mohd Johan explained to the court.

He however conceded that no one was later arrested by Jawi on suspicion of taking part in the pageant, adding that it was not a decision for him to make.

Earlier in proceedings, Inspector Mohd Aminuddin Che Mat, a photographer from the Dang Wangi police district headquarters took to the stand.

He was made to explain photos he had taken of the scene three days after the incident as part of mandatory police investigations procedure.

The trial continues tomorrow March 27.