NST COURT WATCH: Rape acquittal, faith rehabilitation order among key court cases this week [WATCH]

KUALA LUMPUR: An acquittal in a rape case, an order to undergo faith rehabilitation, fines for illegal racing under newly amended laws and unsuccessful court bids were among the court cases that made headlines across the country this week.

In Putrajaya, celebrity preacher Da'i Syed became a free man after succeeding in his final appeal against his rape conviction.

In Kuala Lumpur, a Taiwanese karaoke centre manager was charged with driving under the influence of drugs after allegedly crashing his car into a police escort rider attached to the entourage of the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negri Sembilan, Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.

Also in Kuala Lumpur, Toh Puan Na'imah Abdul Khalid, widow of the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, failed in her suit against Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim over a police probe into an alleged plot to topple the government.

Here are several court cases that made headlines this week.

PREACHER DA'I SYED WINS APPEAL

Celebrity preacher Da'i Syed, whose real name is Syed Shah Iqmal Syed Mohd Shaiful, was cleared of raping a 23-year-old woman in Shah Alam in 2019.

In a 2-1 majority decision, Court of Appeal judges Datuk Azman Abdullah, who chaired the panel, and Datuk Mohd Radzi Abdul Hamid allowed Syed Shah Iqmal's final appeal, while Datuk Meor Hashimi Abdul Hamid dissented.

The bench set aside the 10-year jail term and three strokes of the rotan imposed by the High Court.

Azman said the defence had succeeded in raising reasonable doubt, rendering Syed Shah Iqmal's conviction unsafe.

On Dec 10, 2020, Syed Shah Iqmal pleaded not guilty to raping the woman in a condominium in i-City, Section 7, on Sept 11, 2019.

The charge, framed under Section 376(1) of the Penal Code, carries a maximum jail term of 20 years and whipping upon conviction.

In 2023, the Shah Alam Sessions Court acquitted him after finding that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.

However, the Shah Alam High Court allowed the prosecution's appeal and ordered him to enter his defence.

On Aug 30, 2024, Sessions Court judge Adlin Abdul Majid sentenced him to 10 years in jail and three strokes of the rotan.

TAIWANESE MAN CHARGED OVER CRASH THAT INJURED POLICEMAN

Taiwanese karaoke centre manager Wei Fu-Chun, 52, pleaded not guilty at the magistrate's court to driving a Mercedes-Benz under the influence of drugs and crashing into Corporal Samsul Rahimi Sapari, 42, who sustained injuries to his legs and hands.

The offence took place at 8.50pm along Jalan Tun Sambanthan on Oct 31.

He was charged under Section 44(1A)(a) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a jail term of between seven and 10 years and a fine of between RM30,000 and RM50,000 upon conviction.

Samsul, who is attached to the city Traffic Enforcement and Investigation Department's motorcycle unit, was returning from escort duty with the entourage of Negri Sembilan Yang di-Pertuan Besar Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir.

Magistrate Aliaa Anwar denied Wei bail and fixed Jan 6 for the submission of documents.

A breathalyser test conducted on Wei returned a negative result for alcohol, but drugs believed to be ecstasy were found in the car.

NA'IMAH AND SONS' SUIT AGAINST PRIME MINISTER STRUCK OUT

The originating summons filed by Toh Puan Na'imah Abdul Khalid, her two sons and two lawyers challenging police investigations into an alleged plot to topple the government was struck out by the High Court.

The suit was filed by Na'imah, widow of the late Tun Daim Zainuddin, alongside Amir Zainuddin, Amin Zainuddin and lawyers Amir Zharif Abdullah and Muhammad Nizamuddin Abdul Hamid.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail and the government were named as the defendants.

Judge Indra Nehru Savandiah ruled that there was no cogent evidence to substantiate allegations that the police investigation was conducted in bad faith or with mala fide intentions.

She said the allegations that the ongoing police investigation might have been influenced by the first defendant's alleged public comments were merely assertions or assumptions unsupported by facts capable of establishing bad faith or mala fide intentions.

She also said there was no nexus linking the first defendant's alleged public comments to the independent ongoing investigation, which was based on a police report.

The plaintiffs contended that the investigation under Section 124B of the Penal Code for activities detrimental to parliamentary democracy constituted an abuse of statutory power and was initiated in bad faith.

They sought, among other things, a declaration that the investigation by the IGP and the government under Section 124B was unlawful, unconstitutional, tainted with bad faith, carried out for ulterior purposes and an abuse of statutory power.

MAN ORDERED TO UNDERGO THREE MONTHS OF FAITH REHABILITATION

A man who went viral for performing a non-Islamic ritual was ordered by the Syariah Lower Court to undergo three months of faith rehabilitation after pleading guilty to a charge of improper worship.

Syariah judge Mohd Faizal Habib ordered Aliff Daniel Adli, 21, to undergo rehabilitation at the Baitul Iman Faith Rehabilitation Centre in Ulu Yam instead of serving a jail term or paying a fine.

Aliff admitted to committing improper worship by holding a religious object, performing a ritual involving body piercing and kneeling with both hands clasped against his chest in front of a statue.

The offence took place at a temple in Batu Caves between 9pm and 11pm on Jan 24, 2024.

The court reprimanded Aliff, saying the offence was not merely a breach of written law but a serious transgression. It also advised him to repent.

SINGAPOREAN AMONG THREE FINED FOR ILLEGAL RACING

Singaporean national serviceman Syajahan Alfian Abdullah was fined RM3,500 by the Johor Bahru magistrate's court for riding a motorcycle at high speed and taking part in a speed challenge.

The charge was brought against Syajahan, 19, under Section 42A(2) of the amended Road Transport Act 1987 (Amendment) 2026, which criminalises illegal racing and speed testing on public roads. The amendments came into force on Oct 16.

He pleaded guilty to committing the act at Km12.5 of the Second Link Expressway southbound in Iskandar Puteri at 2.10am on Oct 18.

Two other local youths, Muhammad Daniel Hakim Mohamad Rashid, 24, and Gonzales Mckhovic George, 18, were also fined RM3,500 each after pleading guilty to offences under Section 42A(1) for racing their motorcycles along different stretches of the same expressway at the same time and date.

The amended provisions carry a fine of between RM2,000 and RM10,000, a jail term of up to two years, or both, for a first offence.

The three paid their fines.

CAPRICE ORDERED TO PAY PREACHER EBIT LEW RM220,000 FOR DEFAMATION

The Shah Alam Sessions Court ordered rapper and influencer Ariz Ramli, better known as Caprice, to pay preacher Ebit Lew RM220,000 in damages for defamation.

On Nov 2, judge Zuhrina Mohamed Nor ordered Caprice to deposit the sum into the account of Ebit's lawyers and pay RM2,000 in costs after dismissing his application to stay the payment.

In August, the judge had ordered Caprice to apologise and pay Ebit RM220,000 after finding that he had defamed the preacher in 2023.

Caprice was also ordered to remove seven statements made alongside Indonesian influencer Mondy Tattoo within 48 hours and barred from making further comments or statements about Ebit.

The case stemmed from a video Caprice uploaded on Sept 15, 2023, featuring Mondy as a guest.

Ebit said the video implied that he had sexually harassed and taken advantage of Mondy, portraying him as irresponsible and someone who exploited religion.