PUTRAJAYA, April 24 — The former Perlis Deputy Police Chief today denied that his orders to burn down the makeshift camps in Wang Kelian was to destroy evidence, during a  Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) into the discovery of human trafficking camps and graves.

Former Assistant Commissioner of Police Md Zukir Md Isa, the inquiry’s 13th witness, instead asserted his instructions were not obeyed and carried out accurately by Assistant Superintendent MA Joeking of the General Operations Force’s (GOF) northern brigade, also the commander of Company B.

Md Zukir told the court that after being briefed by Joeking during a meeting on Jan 20, 2015, he then instructed the latter to investigate the makeshift camps and apparent graves, together with officers from the forensics and criminal investigations departments, and a team from the GOF.

"No, I did not want to destroy the whole camp, just so that it cannot be utilised by traffickers or illegal immigrants again, because if they do, I am the one who will be at fault,” said Md Zukir during questioning by Conducting Officers Khairul Anuar Abd Halim and Saiful Hazmi Mohd Saad.

"To me it was not destroying evidence, as the main structures would have still been there,” he added.

He also admitted giving orders to Joeking to destroy the camps, but clarified the order was not for them to burn the settlements to the ground but only to the point where it can no longer be used in the future.

Today is the fifth day of public hearings in the RCI chaired by former Chief Justice Tun Arifin Zakaria and assisted by former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Norian Mai as part of a seven person panel.