A WITNESS in the trial of preacher Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew, or Ebit Lew, told a magistrate’s court in Tenom today that a WhatsApp group containing obscene pictures and videos was found on the mobile phone she received on October 8, 2021.

Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) senior audio-video analyst Latifah Abdul Aziz, 43, said the phone was sent to the PDRM’s forensic laboratory by the investigating officers at 12.02pm.

The seventh prosecution witness said the phone was kept safe before it was released for analysis on October 22, 2021, but it had a password.

“I contacted the investigating officer to get the password to enable the analysis system to gain access, and it was given to me the same day. I then did an analysis of the phone and found the WhatsApp group,” she said during examination-in-chief by deputy public prosecutor Nor Azizah Mohamad at the trial.

Ebit Lew, 37, faces 11 charges, including insulting the modesty of a woman in her 40s by sending obscene messages and pictures to her via WhatsApp between March and June 2021.

The charge under section 509 of the penal code provides for a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine, or both, upon conviction.

The trial is set to resume on August 16. – Bernama, June 23, 2023.