Comedy club case: Siti Nuramira, boyfriend post bail

KUALA LUMPUR: A woman who allegedly insulted Islam by acting indecently during a performance at a comedy club here and her boyfriend posted bail of RM20,000 each as ordered by the Sessions Court.

The bail was posted for Siti Nuramira Abdullah, 26, and V. Alexander Navin, 38, respectively at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex and the Petaling Jaya court.

Lawyer R.Sivaraj, representing the duo, however, could not confirm when Siti Nuramira and Alexander Navin, who are being held at the Beranang Satellite and Kuala Kubu Bharu prisons respectively, would be released.

"The two bailors are acquaintances of my clients. I am not sure when they will be released. We understand the technicalities of the process, transportation, and quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"But we hope they will be released today or tomorrow," he told reporters when met outside the bail payment counter at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex today.

According to Sivaraj, funds for the bail amounting to RM40,000 were raised via crowdfunding within four days, which were deposited into the Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) human rights bank account.

On July 13, Siti Nuramira pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court here with charges of causing disharmony on grounds of religion among the Muslims.

The woman, who confessed to being a Muslim and having memorised 15 chapters of the Quran, was charged with committing the offence by stripping to reveal herself in a skimpy outfit at the comedy club at Taman Tun Dr Ismail, here at 6 pm last June 4.

The charge was framed under Section 298A(1)(a) of the Penal Code which provides imprisonment for up to five years if found guilty.

Meanwhile, Alexandar Navin had claimed trial at the Petaling Jaya Sessions Court on two counts of improper use of network facilities by making and initiating the transmission of offensive videos on Instagram and YouTube on June 5 and June 16.

The postings were read at a condominium in Damansara Perdana here, at 10.30 am last July 9.

Both the charges were filed under Section 233 (1) (a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and punishable under Section 233 (3) of the same law.

If found guilty, he is liable to a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to one year or to both and shall also be liable to a further fine of one thousand ringgit for every day during which the offence is continued after conviction.

-- BERNAMA