The Sessions Court today sentenced Ahmad Ramzi Mohamad Zubir, former political secretary to former Terengganu Menteri Besar Idris Jusoh, to a total of 12 months' jail after finding him guilty on three counts of sending threatening text messages and one count of slander.  

Judge M Bakri Abd Majid ordered the sentences to run consecutively.

Dr Ahmad Ramzi committed the SMS offences against Paka assemblyperson Mohd Ariffin Abdullah, Permaisuri assemblyperson Abd Halim Jusoh and Ajil assemblyperson Datuk Rosol Wahid, respectively, at E726, Kampung Kubang Parit, between 11.21pm and 11.25pm on April 13, 2009.

He was sentenced to three months jail on each of the charges framed under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.  

He was sentenced to another three months jail for slandering deputy state secretary Wan Ahamad Wan Muda, then a former confidential secretary to the menteri besar, by sending a threatening SMS message through Wan Ahamad's mobile phone.

He was charged under Section 500 of the Penal Code for this offence.  

Stay granted

In his judgement, M Bakri held that it was imperative for the court to keep up with developments in a world without boundaries that sees crimes being committed via new mediums.

"Injury to reputation or dignity is as painful as physical pain," he said in relation to the developments.

Dr Ramzi Ahmad was represented by Hazman Ahmad, Mohd Noor Mahmood and Rosli Abd Rahman while DPP Mohd Jazamuddin Ahmad Nawawi, DPP Ooi Chooi Gaik and DPP Nur Azimul Azami appeared for the prosecution.

Mitigating for a lenient sentence, the defence submitted that it was Dr Ramzi Ahmad's first offence, that it did not involve violence or injury to any party, and that he had fully cooperated with the prosecution throughout the trial. 

Mohd Jazamuddin submitted that even though there was no physical injury, Ramzi Ahmad had tarnished Wan Ahamad's reputation and that of the state government under Menteri Besar Ahmad Said.

The court granted the defence's application for a stay of execution of the sentence pending an appeal to the High Court and set bail at RM15,000 in two sureties.

- Bernama