KUALA LUMPUR: A 37-year-old delivery runner who pleaded guilty to assaulting Twentytwo13 co-founder and editor Haresh Deol last November will be sentenced tomorrow by the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate's Court.
On Nov 28, R. Krishnan (image) was charged alongside another suspect, who remains at large, with voluntarily causing hurt to Haresh in front of the Tanjung Balai Group building in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, on Nov 25. Krishnan pleaded guilty before magistrate Illi Marisqa Khalizan.
The charge, framed under Section 323 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum jail term of one year, a fine of up to RM2,000, or both.
Krishnan's lawyer, Mohamad Salihen Mastor, had previously told the court that his client, a father of six, worked as a runner earning RM40 a day.
Haresh, an award-winning journalist and deputy president of the National Press Club Malaysia, had been reporting extensively on sports integrity issues, including the doctored documents scandal involving the Football Association of Malaysia and seven heritage footballers who were fined by Fifa. FAM has since appealed Fifa's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
On the day of the attack, Haresh had just concluded a meeting and was walking towards his car when he noticed two men approaching him. Sensing danger, he ran but was knocked down by a third man at the scene.
He fell to the ground as the two men kicked and punched him, while the man who knocked him down used his mobile phone to record the assault. The attackers then fled. No belongings were taken.
Haresh subsequently lodged a police report at the Brickfields District Police Headquarters. He suffered bruising to his face and sustained bleeding injuries to both elbows.
Krishnan was arrested on Nov 26 and remanded for three days.
The incident drew nationwide condemnation, including from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil.
Haresh also received an outpouring of support from Malaysians across all walks of life, including national leaders, veteran politicians, legal experts and media practitioners.
Media organisations, including the National Press Club Malaysia, the Malaysian Media Council, the National Union of Journalists and Gerakan Media Merdeka, condemned the attack, citing concerns over press freedom, public safety and the growing threats faced by journalists.
To date, there has been no further update from police on the status of the two other suspects.
Image courtesy of Bernama