Lawyer P Uthayakumar today failed in his application to have Sessions Court Judge Ahmad Zamzani Mohd Zain recuse himself from the 2007 incitement case against him.    

Ahmad Zamzani rejected the application and decided to continue presiding over the trial.

Represented by M Manoharan, Uthayakumar, 50, had applied yesterday for the judge to withdraw himself from the case on the basis that he was being one-sided.

In his judgment today, Ahmad Zamzani concluded that he found no merit in the application.

The court then adjourned the trial to July 18.  

Earlier in his submission, deputy public prosecutor Noorin Badarudin said the judge’s stand today was a court order made during proceedings and not a decision to be appealed against.  

On Dec 17, 2007, Uthayakumar pleaded not guilty to a charge of publishing a letter with incitement overtones on the ‘Police Watch’ website between Nov 15 and Dec 8, 2008.

He faces up to three years in prison or fine of not more that RM5,000 or both upon conviction under Section 4(1)(c) of the Sedition Act.

- Bernama