Sofia Rini pleads not guilty to defaming Farhash

 

A woman pleaded not guilty in the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court today to a charge of defaming businessperson Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak through a video recording uploaded last April.

Sofia Rini Buyong, 50, was accused of making defamatory statements alleging that Farhash, who is now a Turkish citizen, had stolen money and transferred it overseas, including to Turkiye and several African countries.

The allegedly defamatory remarks were made in a video recording at 6.30pm on April 26 this year.

Sofia (above) was charged under Section 500 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both.

Magistrate Nurul Izzah Hasan Basri granted her bail of RM7,000 with one surety and fixed Aug 28 for mention.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Fadhly Zamry proposed bail of RM15,000 with one Malaysian surety.

However, lawyer Shugan Raman, representing Sofia, sought a lower bail of RM500, citing his client’s financial hardship and medical conditions, including hypertension and diabetes.

Shugan told the court that the accused, whose husband died in 2025, lives with her mother and supports her son.

He added that she had been declared bankrupt, had no steady source of income, and was currently on MACC bail after posting RM10,000.

“The RM15,000 bail sought by the prosecution is beyond her financial means, as the RM10,000 already posted with the MACC remains tied up,” he said.

In response, Fadhly argued that the proposed bail was reasonable given the nature of the charge, adding that setting bail too low could increase the risk of the accused absconding.

- Bernama