LOTHAR WONG MANJAJI (A.K.A. LW MENJAJI IN CASE WO235/884)
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L.W. Menjaji @ Lothar Wong Manjaji @ Huang Jiaji @ Wong Kah Kee
Lothar Wong Menjaji was born Wong Kah Kee in 1896 in Limbanak, Penampang, and educated at the Sacred Heart School. He is a named victim in the war crimes trial case against Capt. Harada Kensei (原田賢正). Similar to some other named victims in the trial cases, little was revealed about his personal history or his first name, save for his initials, and there is a discrepancy in how his name is spelt in the records as opposed to his surviving family’s rendition of it as ‘Manjaji.’ (See for example, the case of Tham Ying Hong WO235/821 and how I came to learn that he is remembered in his family as Tham Yin Hong and that he also had an English language name, Arthur). In the transcript, L.W. Menjaji is characterised as a “prominent citizen” in the town of Penampang and a “native magistrate.” From the testimony of prosecution witness 2nd Lieut. Shimizu Kiyoji, Menjaji is described as having made “parangs (swords) and spears with the object of disturbing the Japanese army in the event that it retreats into the interior,” and of “spreading anti-Japanese propaganda and stopping the Japanese army from hiring coolies.” When asked whether there was “in reality activities against the Japanese army in the rear” at that time, Shimizu conceded “there were no definite rear disturbances brought to reality but there was much anti-Japanese propaganda throughout the area.” In reply to an earlier question as to what constituted anti-Japanese propaganda, he answered that they were of the ilk that “the Allied forces will land in the near future and the Japanese forces will be defeated.” Whether or not Menjaji had engaged in any of the alleged anti-Japanese activities levied against him has not been confirmed or proven. Menjaji’s son, Joseph, then aged 20, was a teacher who lived at Karamunsing in Jesselton, at that time. He provided a sworn affidavit to Capt. M.G. Dickson, of the No. 8 War Crimes Investigation Team, on 5 April 1946. In his statement, he confirms that his father’s duties as magistrate was to supervise the collection of rice paddy and other food produce from the local Dusun tribe for the Japanese. He notes his father was often questioned by Sgt. Inaba about Monsignor August Wachter following the latter’s arrest by the kempeitai. (Menjaji was a practising Catholic and had close ties to the Austrian Mill Hill missionaries. He had been baptised by Wachter when he was 16.) He recalls that his father was summoned to the kempeitai office in Penampang on 9 June 1945 and informed that he was suspected of anti-Japanese activities, warned and released. Two days later, Sunaga, a Japanese resident in Penampang, instructed Menjaji to attend a meeting at the government office. Joseph states that his father was anxious because of what had transpired two days before. However, attending meetings at the government office was not unusual as he had done so in the past in his capacity as magistrate. So, Menjaji presented himself. Joseph did not see his father again after that. You will also find more information about LW Manjaji at this article on the Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu's website. |
Father August Wachter, with Manjaii (seated), and a catechist, from the Archives of the Catholic Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu (ACAKK), 1921.
Lothar Wong Manjaji and his wife, Otillia Libuyan Bokuta. He was survived by seven children. Photo courtesy of his granddaughter Josephine Manjaji.
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A granddaughter's journey
In September 2018, Josephine Manjaji, granddaughter of L.W. Menjaji, made contact with me. Following subsequent correspondence and sharing of notes, we had the good fortune to meet when she visited the UK in January of 2024.
Josephine’s family, as well as descendants of the other seven named victims in case WO235/884, have since ensured that their loved ones’ names have been added to the Petagas War Memorial in Sabah. Their efforts to have a separate memorial dedicated to their ancestors built at this site continues.
Josephine’s journey to trace what happened to her grandfather and the other men named in this case has been a fascinating one, culminating at the Japanese Cemetery Park in Singapore, where Harada Kensei’s ashes were reinterred. Stay tuned for a future update about Josephine’s journey and ongoing endeavours, as she has kindly agreed to write her personal account and share it with us.
In September 2018, Josephine Manjaji, granddaughter of L.W. Menjaji, made contact with me. Following subsequent correspondence and sharing of notes, we had the good fortune to meet when she visited the UK in January of 2024.
Josephine’s family, as well as descendants of the other seven named victims in case WO235/884, have since ensured that their loved ones’ names have been added to the Petagas War Memorial in Sabah. Their efforts to have a separate memorial dedicated to their ancestors built at this site continues.
Josephine’s journey to trace what happened to her grandfather and the other men named in this case has been a fascinating one, culminating at the Japanese Cemetery Park in Singapore, where Harada Kensei’s ashes were reinterred. Stay tuned for a future update about Josephine’s journey and ongoing endeavours, as she has kindly agreed to write her personal account and share it with us.