Blackout 505 rally: Rafizi Ramli fined RM1,950

PKR vice-president Mohd Rafizi Ramli and three others were fined RM1,950 each by the Sessions Court today for organising the Blackout 505 rally three years ago.

Judge Mat Ghani Abdullah imposed the fine to Mohd Rafizi, 39, who is also Pandan Member of Parliament (MP); Seremban MP Anthony Loke Siew Fook, 39; former PKR secretariat member Muhammad Adib Ishar, 27; and Batu Burok assemblyman Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi, 54, after they pleaded guilty to the alternative charge read to them today.

The court gave them until 3 pm tomorrow to pay the fine, failing which they would have to serve two months in jail.

According to the charge sheet, all the accused, as the organisers of the rally, had failed to produce a copy of the letter of approval from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall as the owner of Padang Merbok to organise the rally at the field.

They also failed to inform the police within 10 days before holding the rally at Padang Merbok, Jalan Parlimen here, between 2 pm and 6 pm on June 22, 2013.

The alternative charge under Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 carries fine of up to RM10,000 upon conviction.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Nurul Huda Mohd Nor appealed for apt punishment to be handed down to all the accused as the rally had caused a commotion.

She said based on the testimonies of the prosecution's witnesses, there were attempts made by the rally participants to stop DBKL personnel from removing the tents put up at the field.

"The defence's submission that the rally was held peacefully without any commotion was not true as over 8,000 people attended the rally," she said.

Mohd Rafizi and Loke were represented by counsel Gobind Singh Deo, Muhammad Adib by counsel Eric Paulsen and Syed Azman by counsel Azizul Shariman Mat Yusoff. -- BERNAMA