Judge withdraws from Hilman’s suit over rape claims

Sessions Court judge Lailatul Zuraida Harun has recused herself from hearing Gombak assemblyperson Muhammad Hilman Idham’s defamation suit against a lawyer over rape allegations involving two Bersatu members.

The lower court judge in Kuala Lumpur this afternoon allowed an application by defendant Asheeq Ali Sethi Ali for her to withdraw from the civil action, over claims raised by his client who is an alleged rape victim.

Asheeq’s counsel M Pravin confirmed with Malaysiakini the verdict, adding that the court made no order as to costs.

With today’s outcome, the civil action would be transferred to a new Sessions Court judge to be determined later.

According to a copy of the recusal application sighted by Malaysiakini, Asheeq sought the recusal on grounds of “real danger of bias” on Lailatul’s part.

Asheeq contended this was due to the judge previously making a “prejudgment” when she allowed Bersatu lawmaker Hilman’s application to expunge large portions of the defendant’s statement of defence against the lawsuit.

Gombak assemblyperson Muhammad Hilman Idham

The lawyer pointed out that the High Court in Kuala Lumpur on Nov 9 last year allowed his appeal to reverse her order over his defence, which among others, involved the justification defence where he is ready to prove his words in court.

On Dec 12, 2021, Hilman’s counsel from law firm Hafiz Ruzaini & Co filed the lawsuit over claims that Asheeq made a defamatory statement during a media briefing held in front of the Bukit Aman police headquarters, on Aug 11 earlier that year.

On that date, the media reported Asheeq as claiming the police had yet to act on his client’s report alleging she was raped by two men with purported links to Hilman, who is the Gombak Bersatu Youth chief.

It was previously reported that the woman submitted alleged evidence to the police over the purported incident.

However, later on, an aide of Hilman was charged at the criminal court over the alleged rape of the woman, with the trial still ongoing. - Mkini