KENINGAU: A special officer to the Selangor Menteri Besar was on Friday freed by the Magistrate’s Court here on a charge of insulting the modesty of PKR Deputy President Mohd Rafizi Ramli, five years ago.
Daing Muhammad Reduan Bachok, 39, was acquitted and discharged by Sessions Court Judge Marlina Ibrahim, who sat as a magistrate, who ruled that Daing’s defence had raised a reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case.
Daing, from Selangor, was accused of committing the offence by uttering abusive words against Rafizi, 46, who is currently the Economy Minister, at Pusat Komuniti Kospen at Kg Merampong, here, on Nov 3, 2018.
The alleged offence was under Section 509 of the Penal Code which carries a jail term of up to five years or a fine, or both, on conviction.
On Nov 5, 2021, Daing, who was defended by counsel Amli Nohin, was initially discharged and acquitted on the charge without his defence being called.
However, the Kota Kinabalu High Court on May 5, 2023 ordered Daing to enter his defence following an appeal by the prosecution against his acquittal.
Daing, currently a special officer to the Selangor Menteri Besar, was among three witnesses who testified in his defence.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Eugenie Meredith Gilbert prosecuted.
