SHAH ALAM: The High Court has dismissed an appeal against liability by Anwar Ibrahim’s press secretary Tunku Nashrul Tunku Abaidah for defaming Yusoff Rawther over an alleged assault.
Justice Khadijah Idris, however, allowed Tunku Nashrul’s appeal on quantum and reduced the damages awarded by a sessions court last year from RM200,000 to RM80,000.
She also awarded Yusoff, a former research assistant to Anwar, RM6,000 in costs.
Yusoff’s lawyer Haniff Khatri Abdulla said the judge delivered her decision via email today after hearing submissions on Feb 21 this year.
Haniff, who was assisted by Nurul Huda Razali, said the High Court also maintained an order that Tunku Nashrul must publish an apology on terms acceptable to Yusoff.
Tunku Nashrul, represented by Azwar Manab, is to also withdraw his defamatory media statement issued on June 10, 2019.
Yusoff filed the suit on Sept 12, 2019, saying the statement by Tunku Nashrul had lowered his reputation in the eyes of the public.
Tunku Nashrul had issued the statement to deny allegations of an assault which Yusoff claimed had taken place in Anwar’s office.
The remarks were made in the wake of a police report lodged by Yusoff, who claimed that he was physically attacked by Anwar’s then political secretary, Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak.
Yusoff also filed a separate civil suit against Farhash, claiming compensation for injuries sustained during the alleged assault. However, both parties settled the suit out of court last year.
Yusoff, who worked at Anwar’s bungalow office in Bukit Gasing, Petaling Jaya, also filed a suit against the PKR president accusing him of sexually assaulting him 10 days before Anwar won the Port Dickson by-election on Oct 13, 2018.
Yusoff claimed to have suffered serious physical, psychological and social trauma as a result of the incident. Anwar, however, has denied the claim.
The matter is pending in court. - FMT
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.