Wednesday April 16, 2008

PAS' Mat Sabu and supporters rearrested

By DERRICK VINESH

NIBONG TEBAL: PAS vice-president Mohamad Sabu and nine supporters were rearrested shortly after a magistrate’s court in Jawi issued a “discharge not amounting to acquittal” verdict to an earlier charge against them.

The 10, who were rearrested in the courtroom at 1.05pm on Wednesday, spent about two hours there. They were then charged again before magistrate Mohd Izham Ali. All of them claimed trial.

Mohamad, 53, was charged with obstructing Supt Mohd Nasir Salleh from arresting him at the Bukit Tambun toll plaza at 7.45pm on Dec 9 while his supporters were charged with obstructing policemen from taking him into custody.

The supporters are Zamarul Aini Abdul Malek, 37, Zairul Azrun Zainal Abidin, 35, Abd Rahim Mat Ariff, 58, Md Lazim Osman, 50, Mohd Biyamin Ishak, 44, all from Perak; Faudzi Saharat, 44, from Penang; and Abdul Razak Ramli, Mohd Subri Mohd Said, both 42, and Mohamad Salleh, 47, from Kedah.

They were charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum three months’ jail or fine, or both.

Mohd Izham retained bail at RM3,000 for Mohamad and RM2,500 for each of the nine supporters and fixed July 8 for mention.

Earlier in the morning, Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Norina Zainal Abidin requested the court to discontinue the earlier case against the 10 and to give a "discharge not amounting to acquittal" verdict.

She said the prosecution team had overlooked submitting a sanction on the earlier case as required under Section 186 of the Penal Code.

Norina submitted the sanction together with the fresh charge in the afternoon.

Defence counsel Mohamed Hanipa Maidin said his defence team would file an appeal in the High Court against Mohd Izham’s decision on the earlier case.