PETALING JAYA: The Attorney-General’s Chambers has decided to continue a charge against an elderly man for obstructing government officials from carrying out their duties despite the complainant having withdrawn his report.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Sofea Jaysal told magistrate Shahril Anuar Ahmad Mustapa the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) officer had withdrawn his complaint against Patrick Khoo, 69.
She said the MBPJ officer had given a statement to the police confirming the same.
However, Sofea said, the prosecution is continuing with the charge against Khoo. She also did not provide any reasons for doing so.
Khoo’s lawyers, Rajsurian Pillai and Tay Chee Fu, then requested the prosecution to provide them with the documents.
According to Rajsurian, the defence will submit representations to the prosecution to consider dropping the case since the initial complaint had been withdrawn by the MBPJ officer.
Shahril then fixed the date for the documents to be handed over and for the decision on the representation on Dec 22.
Khoo had claimed trial on March 31 to a charge of obstructing MBPJ officers from carrying out their duties during an operation to catch stray dogs. He was charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code.
The incident was reported to have occurred at Taman Kanagapuram, Petaling Jaya, on March 22. A video, which went viral, showed a man and several council officers in a scuffle, during which Khoo alleged that he was “roughed up”.
Khoo arrived at the magistrates’ court here in a wheelchair because of illness. Asked how he felt about the prosecution’s decision to continue with the charge, he said: “I will wait for the lawyers to appeal and sum up (our) position.”
Also present at the court were Amy Wong from My Forever Doggo and independent animal activists Asther Lau and William Lim.
