Appeal against Mat Sabu's defamation verdict to be decided on March 31

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang High Court has fixed March 31 to decide on an appeal by the prosecution against a Sessions Court ruling which found Amanah president Mohammad Sabu (also known as Mat Sabu) not guilty of defamation.
Judicial Commissioner Lim Chong Fong set the date after the prosecution and defence presented verbal arguments and submitted written motions today.
In his submission, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Datuk Razali Che Ani said the Session Court made a mistake in its ruling delivered in 2015.
He said the lower court erred in law by ruling the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.
Defence counsel Aminuddin Zulkipli however begged to differ, pointing out that the Sessions Court had evaluated all the evidence presented during the trial.
The Butterworth Sessions Court on July 8, 2015, found the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case against Mat Sabu on two charges of defamation and ordered for him to be acquitted and discharged.
Mat Sabu was charged with slandering policemen and their families who were killed in a communist attack on the Bukit Kepong police station in Muar on Feb 23, 1950, by making allegations that could damage their reputation.
He allegedly made the remarks during his speech at the Pusat Asuhan Tadika Islam (Pasti) Al Fahmi, Markas Tarbiyah Pas Padang Menora, in Tasik Gelugor, on Aug 21, 2011.
He also faces an alternative charge of defaming Marine Constable Abu Bakar Daud, Constable Jaafar Hassan and Yusoff Rono and their families, at the same time, date and place.