Appeals Court dismisses Uthayakumar’s appeal

comments     Bernama     Published     Updated

The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya today dismissed lawyer P Uthayakumar’s appeal against a High Court refusal to grant him leave to cite two prison inspectors of Kajang Prison for contempt.

Uthayakumar had claimed in his notice of motion that Sajideh Samin and McKenzie failed to comply with a court directive permitting him to meet his lawyer and family at the court.

The three-member panel chaired by Court of Appeal president Md Raus Sharif unanimously dismissed Uthayakumar’s appeal.

On Nov 14, last year, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur disallowed Uthayakumar’s application for leave to initiate contempt proceedings against Sajideh Samin and McKenzie.

The High Court had however granted leave to Uthayakumar to cite Kajang Prison director Abdul Wahab Abdul Kassim for contempt of court for allegedly failing to comply with a court directive to place him at a different prison cell away from hardcore prisoners.

The High Court had fixed Aug 14 for hearing of the contempt proceedings against Abdul Wahab.

Uthayakumar, 52, has served a 24-month jail sentence and was released from prison on Oct 3 last year.

The founder of the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) and a former Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee was convicted of publishing a seditious letter on a Police Watch Malaysia website at Jalan Toman 7, Kemayan Square, Seremban, on Nov 15, 2007.

Uthayakumar was jailed 30 months by the Sessions Court on June 5, 2013. The High Court upheld the Sessions Court decision on Feb 18 last year.

The Court of Appeal, on Sept 17 last year, reduced his jail sentence from 30 months to 24 months.

Uthayakumar’s lawyer M. Manogaran earlier argued that both the respondents had admitted in their affidavits that they did not comply with the court’s directive.

Deputy public prosecutor Azlina Rasdi told the Court of Appeal that the respondents did not adhere to the court’s directive due to security reasons.

- Bernama



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