Indian national who slapped imam during Friday prayers fined RM12,000

The Indian national who had slapped a imam at Masjid Negara during Friday prayers last month was fined RM12,000 by the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate Court today.

Shabir Ahmad Khan, 31 pleaded guilty for slapping imam Mohd Zuhairee Mohd Yatim, 39 and for disrupting the Friday prayers as well as for his overstaying offence.

The decision was made by Magistrate Siti Radziah Kamarudin.

On the first count, Shabir was charged with deliberately causing injury to the imam of Masjid Negara, Mohd Zuhairee Mohd Yatim, 39. The offence under Section 323 of the Penal Code carries a prison term of up to a year, or a fine not exceeding RM2,000, or both, if convicted.

WATCH VIDEO: Imam slapped during Friday prayers in KL

On the second count, he was charged with causing disturbance during Friday prayers, under Section 296 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum jail term of one year or a fine, or both.

The accused was charged with committing both offences at Masjid Negara, Jalan Perdana, here, at 1.30pm on Sept 18.

READ: "I feel guilty, I want to see imam," says man who slapped imam

Shabir was also charged with staying on in Malaysia after the expiry of his social visit pass on July 17. The offence under Section 15(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 (2002 Amendment) carries a fine of not less than RM10,000 or imprisonment for a minimum of five years, or both.

Astro AWANI had reported on Sept 18 that the Shabir had slapped Mohd Zuhairee before trying to flee the scene.

He was detained by the mosque security guards before handing him over to the police.