Defamation case against Mat Sabu Dec 19-23

BUTTERWORTH - A Sessions court here has fixed Dec 19 to 23 to hear the criminal defamation case of PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu.

Judge Ikmal Hishan Tajuddin set the date after DPP Lailawati Ali applied to change the original dates of between Dec 5 and 9 as the prosecution team needed to attend a course during that period.

Mohamad Sabu, better known as Mat Sabu, had claimed trial to criminal defamation against policemen and their family members, who defended themselves against communist guerillas at the Bukit Kepong police station on Feb 23, 1950.

Mat Sabu, 56, is alleged to have committed the offence during a speech at the Pusat Asuhan Tadika Islam (Pasti) Al-Fahmi, Markas Tarbiyah PAS in Padang Menora, Tasek Gelugor, between 10pm and midnight on Aug 21.

He also faces an alternate charge under the same section of the Penal Code with criminally defaming three policemen - Konstabel Marin Abu Bakar Daud, Konstabel Jaafar Hassan and Yusoff Rono - and their family members who defended themselves against communist attacks at the same police station on the same day.

The alternate charge alleged that Mat Sabu had made the allegations in the same public speech with the knowledge that the allegations might smear the good name of the policemen and their families.

The offence carries a jail sentence of not more than two years, fine or both.

- The Star