Selangor man acquitted again of insulting Rafizi

 

Daing Reduan Bachok was initially acquitted by a magistrate’s court without his defence being called. (File pic)

PETALING JAYA: For the second time, a man from Selangor has been acquitted of a charge of insulting PKR deputy president Rafizi Ramli six years ago.

Daing Reduan Bachok, 39, was acquitted and discharged by the Keningau magistrates’ court in Sabah.

Sessions court judge Marlina Ibrahim, who sat as a magistrate, said Daing had raised reasonable doubt on the prosecution’s case, The Star reported.

In November 2021, the magistrates’ court freed Daing of the charge without calling his defence, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case.

After the prosecution filed an appeal, the Kota Kinabalu High Court in May last year ordered Daing to enter his defence to the charge of insulting the modesty of Rafizi, then a PKR vice-president, at Kampung Merampong in Keningau on Nov 3, 2018.

Daing was represented by lawyer Pg Amli Noraufe Pg Nohin.

Three witnesses testified for the defence while eight people testified against Daing during the prosecution stage of the trial, which started in September 2020.

Daing most recently contested in the PKR elections in 2022, managing to be elected the Ampang division chief before his victory was annulled. The PKR election complaints committee said Daing was involved in vote-buying. - FMT