Kota Kinabalu: A 39-year-old man from Selangor was ordered by the High Court to enter his defence on a charge of insulting the modesty of PKR Vice-President Mohd Rafizi Ramli in 2018.
High Court Judge Datuk Ismail Brahim made the order for Daing Muhammad Reduan Bachok, after allowing the appeal by the prosecution against the lower court’s decision to discharge and acquit Daing without his defence.
The court ordered the case to be remitted to the Sessions Court for Daing’s defence. On Nov 5, 2021, Daing who was PKR Lembah Jaya constituency coordinator, was discharged and acquitted from the charge against him after the Sessions Court ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Daing.
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Daing is accused of committing the offence against Rafizi who is currently Economy Minister at 4pm on Nov 3, 2018 at the Kospen Community Centre in Kg Merampong, Keningau. The charge stated that Daing had uttered profanities which could be heard by others.
The offence under Section 509 of the Penal Code provides a maximum five years’ jail or fine, or both, upon conviction.
During the hearing in the Sessions Court, eight prosecution witnesses were called to testify against Daing since the trial commenced on Sept 14, 2020.
Counsel Amli Nohin defended Daing while Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Faezah Jafry prosecuted.
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