[UPDATED] Court acquits Papagomo over alleged seditious remarks

KLANG: Blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris has once again been acquitted by the Sessions Court on a charge of making seditious remarks by alleging that the current government was pro-Israel.

Wan Azri's lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali said judge Siti Aminah Ghazali acquitted his client, also known as Papagomo, at the end of the defence case.

"The judge ruled that the defence had successfully raised doubt in the prosecution's case while the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt," he said.

Rafique said Wan Azri, 43, felt vindicated by the court's decision.

"He had always believed in his case and maintained his innocence," he said.

Rafique said they will take a wait-and-see approach on whether the prosecution appeals, as they have 14-days to do so.

He said if an appeal is filed, it will be heard at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

Wan Azri was the sole defence witness.

After the proceedings, deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalam said the prosecution will file an appeal.

This marks the second time Siti Aminah has acquitted Wan Azri in the same case.

She had previously presided over the case at the Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court before being transferred to the Klang Sessions Court.

On Sept 3 last year, Siti Aminah acquitted Wan Azri at the end of the prosecution's case, ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case to warrant him being called to enter his defence.

The prosecution appealed against the decision, with Mustaffa arguing that the charge was valid and not defective.

He submitted that the prosecution had established a prima facie case against Wan Azri, the respondent in the appeal, in accordance with Section 173(f)(i) of the Criminal Procedure Code.

On July 31, High Court judge Nurulhuda Nur' Aini Mohamad Nor allowed the prosecution's appeal, setting aside the Sessions Court's earlier decision to acquit Wan Azri.

In her ruling, Nurulhuda held that the prosecution had established a prima facie case under Section 4(1)(b) of the Sedition Act.

She ordered Wan Azri to enter his defence before Siti Aminah, who was to preside over the case at the Klang Sessions Court.