Digital forensics reveals 15 calls to Ebit Lew from complainant’s phone, witness tells court in sexual harassment trial

Digital forensics reveals 15 calls to Ebit Lew from complainant’s phone, witness tells court in sexual harassment trial



File picture of preacher Ebit Lew arriving at the Tenom Magistrates’ Court in Sabah September 27, 2022. A witness in the sexual harassment trial told the Magistrate’s Court that 15 call were made from the complainant’s phone to Lew’s number.. — Bernama pic

Thursday, 16 Jan 2025 10:44 AM MYT


TENOM, Jan 16 — A witness in the sexual harassment trial of preacher Ebit Irawan Ibrahim Lew, or Ebit Lew, told the Magistrate’s Court that 15 call were made from the complainant’s phone to Lew’s number.

Muhammad Umar Shahbudin, 32, a former digital forensics analyst from CyberSecurity Malaysia and the 14th witness, said the information was obtained from analysing the call logs on the complainant’s phone. The analysis also revealed five incoming calls and one missed call from Lew’s number.

“In total, there were 21 call logs involving Lew’s number on the complainant’s phone,” he testified, in response to questions from deputy public prosecutor Rasyidah Murni Adzmi.

Muhammad Umar said the phone was part of five pieces of evidence handed to him on Oct 27, 2021, including two mobile phones, a SIM card, a memory card, and a Unifi SIM card.

He took one week to analyse the evidence before returning it to the investigating officer on Nov 26, 2021.

Earlier, Tajul Josalmin Tajul Ariffin, CyberSecurity Malaysia Digital Forensics Department head, testified that the evidence was sealed in envelopes bearing CyberSecurity Malaysia’s logo. He received the items on Nov 26, 2021, from investigating officer DSP Noor Asyikin Shamsuri.

Tajul said the police requested help to retrieve Instagram account information, call logs, and WhatsApp conversations.

On Sept 3 last year, PDRM photographers Detective Corporal Shahrul Sanudin, 38, and Detective Corporal Husni Haris Ramli, 34, testified in court. Another PDRM photographer, Detective Corporal Andria Anak Empeny, 32, testified on Dec 9.

Ebit Lew, 39, faces 11 charges of outraging the modesty of a woman in her 40s by sending lewd messages and images via WhatsApp between March and June 2021. He is charged under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, a fine, or both.

The trial, presided over by Magistrate Nur Asyraf Zolhani, continues tomorrow. — Bernama