Ex-IT officer pleads guilty to posting offensive comment on Facebook
IPOH: A former information technology (IT) officer at a local media company pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of making an offensive comment on social media with the intent to hurt others' feelings, in February this year.
Ariff Zulkarnain Ameer Mohd Imam, 50, entered the plea after the charge was read before Judge Meor Sulaiman Ahmad Tarmizi.
According to the charge, he allegedly used the Facebook application through the account 'Ariff Zulkarnain Mohd Imam' at the link https://www.facebook.com/ariff.zulkarnainmohdimam to knowingly make and initiate a transmission using a communication service.
He was accused of posting a comment on an article titled 'Khatib enggan baca teks khutbah disediakan keterlaluan, jangan dibiarkan - Sultan Nazrin', published on the Facebook page of Harian Metro at the link https://www.facebook.com/share/1BZZzGje6L/?mibextid=wwXlfr.
The offence was allegedly read at the Complaints Counter of the Central Police Station at the Ipoh District Police Headquarters at about 5.45 pm on Feb 25.
For the offence, he was charged under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and punishable under Section 233(3) of the same Act, which provides for a maximum fine of RM500,000 or imprisonment for up to two years, or both. An additional fine of RM5,000 for each day or part of a day the offence continues after conviction may also be imposed, upon conviction.
His lawyer, M. Saravanan from the National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK), appealed for time or a later date to allow the accused to raise funds in case a fine is imposed, noting that the offence was serious as it involved the Sultan of Perak.
Deputy public prosecutor Nasrul Hadi Abdul Ghani said he had no objection to sentencing being set for a later date, but offered bail of RM30,000 with two sureties. He also requested that the accused report to the nearest police station once a month and surrender his passport to the court.
Deputy public prosecutor Nurul Hidayu Zakaria also conducted the prosecution.
Saravanan then appealed for a lower bail amount, saying the accused was 50 years old, his wife was unemployed, and he had lost his job at the media company as a result of his actions. He added that the accused had no stable income and pledged to comply with all imposed conditions.
The judge then set July 30 as the sentencing date and fixed bail at RM10,000 with one surety. The accused was also ordered to surrender his passport to the court by noon on June 20, until sentencing is concluded.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sinar Daily
27 minutes ago
- Sinar Daily
Football coach claims trial to sexual assault charges
The accused, as a person in a position of trust, namely, a coach to a 13-year-and-five-month-old trainee, was charged with two counts of committing physical sexual assault on the teenager. 17 Jun 2025 04:43pm A football coach pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court to four counts of physical sexual assault against two of his trainees, who are students of a secondary school here. KOTA TINGGI - A football coach pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to four counts of physical sexual assault against two of his trainees, who are students of a secondary school here. Meor Azizi Zolkfle, 33, made the plea when the charges were read out before Judge Hayda Farizal Abu Hasan. The accused, as a person in a position of trust, namely, a coach to a 13-year-and-five-month-old trainee, was charged with two counts of committing physical sexual assault on the teenager. The offences were allegedly committed at the Bandar Penawar Stadium at 9.20 pm on May 2. In a separate charge, the accused was alleged to have committed physical sexual assault on another trainee, aged 13 years and seven months, at a sports centre shop in Felda Sening at 8 pm on Nov 14. He also faces a charge of committing the same offence against the same victim at the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Adela field here at 7.50 pm on May 2. The charges were framed under Section 14(a) of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017, read together with Section 16(1) of the same Act. Section 14(a) carries a maximum sentence of 20 years' imprisonment and whipping, while Section 16(1) provides for an additional jail term of up to five years and not less than two strokes of the cane. Deputy Public Prosecutor Foo Fang Leong appeared for the prosecution. The judge allowed the accused, who is a father of two, bail of RM20,000 for all charges. The court fixed July 17 for mention to allow for the submission of documents and the appointment of a lawyer. - BERNAMA More Like This
Sinar Daily
35 minutes ago
- Sinar Daily
Two cops among four sentenced to 12 years jail, caning for RM1.1 million armed robbery
The four men were accused of robbing a 26-year-old man of RM1.13 million in cash while armed with a firearm at a building car park along Jalan Chan Sow Lin at about 1.30pm on Dec 14, 2021. 17 Jun 2025 03:16pm The Sessions Court sentenced four men, including two police corporals, to 12 years in prison and five strokes of the cane for robbing a businessman of RM1.1 million in cash four years ago. - BERNAMA FILE PIX KUALA LUMPUR - The Sessions Court here today sentenced four men, including two police corporals, to 12 years in prison and five strokes of the cane for robbing a businessman of RM1.1 million in cash four years ago. Judge Hamidah Mohamed Deril sentenced suspended Corporals Hasrol Irmey Abu Hasim, 36, and Muhammad Helmi Jamaluddin, 34, together with Amir Moktar, 47, and Mohd Ridhwan Azman, 39, after finding that the defence had failed to raise a reasonable doubt at the close of the case. "In light of this, the court sentences all four accused to 12 years in prison and five strokes of the cane. The custodial sentence takes effect today,' said Hamidah. Defence counsel Nur Azimul Azami Mohamad Nor requested a stay of execution pending an appeal against the conviction and sentence, but the judge instructed that a formal application be filed. The Sessions Court sentenced four men, including two police corporals, to 12 years in prison and five strokes of the cane for robbing a businessman of RM1.1 million in cash four years ago. The trial began in July 2023, with 35 prosecution witnesses testifying, while all four accused took the stand during the defence stage. Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Ikhwan Mohd Nasir appeared for the prosecution, while lawyers Nur Azimul Azami and Lim Yoi Ping represented all the accused. The four men were accused of robbing a 26-year-old man of RM1.13 million in cash while armed with a firearm at a building car park along Jalan Chan Sow Lin at about 1.30 pm on Dec 14, 2021. They were charged under Sections 395 and 397 of the Penal Code, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and caning upon conviction. - BERNAMA More Like This
New Straits Times
an hour ago
- New Straits Times
Man in viral MPV theft video pleads not guilty
MUAR: A man allegedly filmed in a viral video linked to a luxury MPV theft in Bakri has pleaded not guilty. Fried chicken seller Muhamad Badry Muhamad Azami, 24, was charged in the Magistrate's Court with dishonestly transferring a stolen Lexus MPV. He denied the charge before Magistrate Suzana Mokhtar. He was allegedly one of two men recorded by CCTV during the May 6 break-in. His alleged accomplice remains at large. The theft involved a Lexus MPV belonging to a 38-year-old man, allegedly taken at Jalan Yong Peng, Chaah, Segamat, around 11.30am on May 6. He was charged under Section 414 of the Penal Code, which carries a sentence of up to seven years' jail and a fine. Deputy public prosecutor Yasmin Mohd Piah led the prosecution, while Sakinah Suhaimi from the National Legal Aid Foundation represented Muhamad Badry. Bail was set at RM4,000, below the RM10,000 requested by the prosecution. Case mention is set for July 23. The break-in reportedly happened at 9am, with two masked men fleeing with a luxury vehicle worth over RM200,000. A neighbour alerted the owner, who was at work, after hearing suspicious sounds.
