RM60mil from Magnum: Nalla found GUILTY of defaming Anwar

Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim has won a defamation suit against S Nallakaruppan ,the High Court ruled this afternoon.

After hearing submission in chambers by both counsels for Anwar and Nalla, High Court Judge YA Justice Dato' Su Geok Yiam struck off the Defendant's Statement of Defence on the grounds that it was frivolous, vexatious and tantamount to an abuse of court process.

Anwar's lawyers filed in an application to strike off the Statement of Defence by Nallakaruppan after the latter had failed to furnish particulars as directed by a court order made on 28.8.2009 to provide further and better particulars to the allegations made by him.

The court then entered Judgment of liability against Nallakaruppan for his libellious and defamatory allegations that Anwar had purportedly received RM60 million in cash taken from Magnum Corporation.

Damages too

The allegation was made by Nallakaruppan on 23 August 2008 and was published in Mingguan Malaysia under the article entitled "Didakwa Terima 60Juta."

The Court further directed the damages to be paid by Nallakaruppan to Anwar and quantum will be assessed before the Court's Registrar.

The decision was made in the judges’ chambers, Justice Dato' Su Geok Yiam rejected Nallakaruppan's defence of justification, fair comment and qualified privilege.

Anwar was represented by lawyer Latheefa Koya and M Afiq Noor of Messrs Daim & Gamany

Nallakaruppan was represented by Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah, Sarah Abishegam & Nurul Nabiha of Messrs Shafee & Co

Latheefa Koya is the director of the PKR legal affairs bureau