KUALA LUMPUR: The magistrate’s court here today acquitted and discharged former Pandan MP Mohd Rafizi Ramli (pix) on a charge of publishing a libelous statement against Tabung Haji (TH), three years ago.
Magistrate Umzarul An-Nur Umar made the decision after the prosecution, conducted by deputy public prosecutor Nadia Zulkefli, informed the court that the Attorney-General’s Chambers received a representation from Mohd Rafizi, 42, on Jan 24, seeking to have the case against him withdrawn.
“The prosecution received instruction to not proceed with the charge against Mohd Rafizi. Request for the accused to be acquitted and discharged,” she said during proceeding of the case, which had been fixed to hear Mohd Rafizi’s defence on the charge.
On Sept 25 last year, Umzarul An-Nur ordered Mohd Rafizi, who is PKR vice-president, to enter his defence on the charge after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie against him.
On April 8, 2016, Mohd Rafizi pleaded not guilty to defaming Tabung Haji through the posting of an article with the heading, ‘’Analisa Kewangan Tabung Haji 2009-2015” in his blog www.rafiziramli.com.
He was charged with committing the offence at the 18th floor of Tabung Haji Building, 201 Jalan Tun Razak, Dang Wangi, at 9am on Feb 18, 2016.
The charge, under Section 500 of the Penal Code, provides an imprisonment for up to two years, or fine, or both, upon conviction.
At today’s proceeding, Mohd Rafizi was represented by lawyers Adi Zulkarnain Zulkafli and Md Yunos Shariff. — Bernama
