The Kuala Lumpur Sessions Court has fixed three days beginning May 26 for continued hearing in blogger Raja Petra Kamaruddin's criminal defamation case.

Justice Mohamad Sekeri Mamat fixed the date after both prosecution and defence counsel appeared before him today.

raja petra criminal defamation charge 251108 Sekeri fixed the date following the High Court's decision on Friday to allow the case to remain at the Sessions Court and not transfer it to the Magistrate's Court, where Raja Petra was originally charged.

Raja Petra was represented by counsel Amarjit Singh Sidhu, while DPP Anselm Fernandes prosecuted.

High Court judicial commissioner Zainal Aznam Abd Aziz ruled the transfer of the case from the Magistrate's Court to the Sessions Court is not "illegal, void and contrary" to section Section 177 of the Criminal Procedure Code and did not violate Article 8 of the Federal Constitution regarding equality.

Zainal Aznam also ruled that the matter had no grounds and no merits for the case to be heard at the Magistrate's Court.

"I find the transfer of the case from the Magistrate's Court to the Sessions Court was legal and hence the case should be heard there," he said

Initially charged in Magistrate's Court

"I also do not agree with counsel (Manjit Singh Dhillon) that the transfer of the case would result in a harsher sentence to be meted out if the accused is found guilty. Hence, the hearing should be done at the Sessions Court and not at the Magistrate's Court."

Raja Petra, who is the editor of online blog Malaysia Today is charged under Section 500 of the Penal Code with three counts of criminal defamation through a statutory declaration. He could face a punishment of up to two years’ jail or fine if convicted.

In his statutory declaration, Raja Petra implicated the deputy prime minister’s wife Rosmah Mansor, acting colonel Aziz Buyong and colonel Norhayati Hassan in the murder of Mongolian national Altantuya Shaariibuu.

He was initially charged on July 17 last year in the Magistrate's Court. However, on Aug 15, magistrate Nazran Mohd Sham decided to transfer the case to the Sessions Court following an application by Anselm.

Raja Petra is alleged to have committed the offences at the High Court Civil 5 in the Jalan Duta court complex at 10.25am on June 18.