AGC receives positive response from Thailand to obtain evidence on Justo

The Attorney-Generals Chambers (AGC) has received positive response from its counterpart in Thailand to obtain further evidence on Xavier Andre Justo, a Swiss national, in light of his conviction yesterday.

In a statement, the AGC said the department was in the process of obtaining further evidence under the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters among ASEAN member countries.

On Monday, Justo was sentenced to three years' imprisonment by the Bangkok South Criminal Court when he admitted to attempting to blackmail his former employer, PetroSaudi International.

The 49-year-old former IT executive was charged under Section 338 of the Thai Penal Code which carries a jail term of one to 10 years and a fine of between 2,000 baht (RM222) and 20,000 baht (RM2,223).

In the statement, the AGC said the department had also assured the public that all investigation papers submitted by the Royal Malaysian Police for its attention would be studied thoroughly and given serious attention due to such allegations as these offences would affect the country's stability.

"With reference to news reports of investigations being carried out by the Royal Malaysia Police under sections 124B and 124I of the Penal Code, the Attorney-Generals Chambers would like to emphasise to the public that these are serious offences under the law.

"Under section 124B of the Penal Code, it is a criminal offence to commit an activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy by any means, directly or indirectly. The offence is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 20 years."

"Under section 124I of the Penal Code, any person who, by word of mouth or in writing or in any newspaper, periodical, book, circular, or other printed publication or by any other means including electronic means spreads false reports or makes false statements likely to cause public alarm, commits an offence that is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years," said the AGC.

It had also been brought to the AGC's attention that police reports were made against persons both within and outside the country, which were under investigation under sections 124B and 124I of the Penal Code.

The AGC said a warrant of arrest had been issued in Malaysia against Sarawak Report founder and editor Clare Rewcastle-Brown on Aug 5, in relation to the ongoing investigation by the police under section 124B of the Penal Code over allegations by the Sarawak Report website, an online publication, which had on July 30, published a false report and draft sheet in the article entitled, 'Arrest Warrant for the Prime Minister The Real Reason The Attorney-General Was Fired', in order to implicate the prime minister with criminal offences.