KAJANG – Former Umno Youth executive council member Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, better known as ‘Papagomo’, was found guilty of injuring Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman, as well as hurling disrespectful and insulting words at him, resulting in a fine of RM2,100, by the magistrate’s court here today.
Magistrate Muhammad Noor Firdaus Rosli made the decision after finding that the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt against Papagomo, 40, at the end of the defence case.
“Therefore, the accused (Wan Muhammad Azri) is found guilty of two charges. For the amended charge of uttering disrespectful and insulting words, he is fined RM100, in default one day jail in, while for the charge of causing injury, he is fined RM2,000, in default three months in jail,” he said.
After handing down the sentence, Muhammad Noor Firdaus, quoted a religious saying meaning ‘A (perfect) Muslim is one who is safe from the tongue and hands’ as a reminder to Wan Muhammad Azri, who also studied in a ‘pondok’ school.
Earlier, during mitigation, lawyer Nik Saiful Adli Burhan, representing Wan Muhammad Azri, requested for the lowest fine as his client was only a trader with no fixed income.
Deputy public prosecutor Norfarhanim Abdul Halim requested for a deterrent sentence as a lesson for the accused, as well as others.
On February 21, the magistrate ordered Wan Muhammad Azri to enter his defence after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in proving a prima facie case against him.
The former blogger was also ordered to defend himself on an amended charge of uttering disrespectful words and insulting Syed Saddiq in accordance with Section 14 of the Minor Offences Act 1955, which carries a maximum fine of RM100.
The offence was committed at the roadside at Persiaran Impian Perdana, Saujana Impian here at 11.05am on February 16, 2019.
He was previously charged with insulting the modesty of the parliamentarian under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum prison sentence of five years, or a fine, or both.
He was also charged with voluntarily causing hurt to the founder of the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda) party, at the same place, time and date in accordance with Section 323 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum prison sentence of one year, or a fine of up to RM2,000, or both, upon conviction. – September 12, 2023