Farid Kamil's appeal postponed as lawyer involved in Ahmad Zahid's trial

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal here today postponed hearing of an appeal by actor-cum-director Farid Kamil Zahari against his conviction and nine months' jail sentence for a drug-related-offence as his lawyer is involved in Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi's trial in the Shah Alam High Court.

A three-member panel comprising Justices Datuk Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, Datuk Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Datuk Ghazali Cha allowed the postponement sought by Farid Kamil's lawyer Hisyam Teh Poh Teik.

Hisyam told the court that he was currently involved in former Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid's corruption trial relating to the Foreign Visa System (VLN) contract at the High Court in Shah Alam.

Deputy public prosecutor Eyu Ghim Siang did not object to the postponement application.

Justice Abdul Karim then set Monday (May 23) for case management.

Apart from Farid Kamil's appeal against his conviction and jail term for the drug-related-case, the appellate court was also supposed to hear the prosecution's appeal against a High Court's decision to substitute the 13-month jail term imposed on Farid Kamil, with a fine of RM5,000 for using criminal force on a policeman and its (prosecution's) application for time to be extended to file the notice of appeal for the for the same case (using criminal force against the policeman).

Farid Kamil, 40, was sentenced to nine months jail and ordered to be placed on a two-year supervision under the National Anti-Drugs Agency by the Petaling Jaya Magistrate's Court on May 15, 2019. He lost his appeal in 2019, which was dismissed by the Shah Alam High Court.

On June 2, 2020, the Petaling Jaya Magistrate's Court sentenced Farid to 13 months' jail for using criminal force against Constable Muhammad Nizam Jamaluddin at the Kota Damansara traffic police station inquiry counter at 1.20 pm on Jan 11, 2018.

He was also sentenced to four months jail by the Magistrate's Court for uttering improper words against Constable Muhammad Nizam under Section 90 of the Police Act 1967. He was ordered to serve the sentences concurrently.

However, following the actor's appeal, the Shah Alam High Court substituted the 13-month jail term to a fine of RM5,000 while the four-month jail sentence for uttering improper words was replaced with a fine of RM500.

On Jan 5, this year, Farid Kamil failed to obtain leave to appeal against his conviction and the RM5,500 fine for using criminal force and uttering improper words against the policeman.

The prosecution, meanwhile, is cross-appealing against the High Court's decision in substituting the 13-month jail term to RM5,000 fine.

However, the prosecution could not proceed with its appeal at the Court of Appeal against the High Court's decision which substituted the four months jail term with a fine of RM500 for the offence of uttering improper words as it (the prosecution) failed to get time extended to file its petition of appeal.

Also representing Farid was lawyer Kee Wei Lon.

-- BERNAMA