March 22: Case management of prosecution's appeal against Siti Kasim's acquittal

KUALA LUMPUR: The High Court today set March 22 for case management of the prosecution’s appeal against the acquittal by a Magistrate’s Court of lawyer-cum-activist Siti Kasim from a charge of obstructing a Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) officer from discharging her public duty during an event at a hotel in 2016.

Deputy public prosecutor Izalina Abdullah informed the date after the case management today, which was held in the chambers before High Court Senior Assistant Registrar Farah Azura Mohd Saad.

“The prosecution informed the court that the record for the appeal is not completed yet and requested for further case management,” she said, adding that the counsel for Siti Kasim was not present at the proceeding today.

On Aug 21 last year, the Magistrate’s Court here discharged and acquitted Siti Kasim, whose real name is Siti Zabedah Kasim, 58, with resisting arrest by the JAWI officer, Siti Nor Jihan Saleh @ Md Ghazali, 41, at an event at a hotel here at 10.30 pm on April 3, 2016.

The charge was made under Section 186 of the Penal Code for obstructing a public servant in discharging her public functions.

Magistrate Tawfiq Affandy Chin made the decision after finding the prosecution having failed to establish the case against Siti Kasim.

It is understood that the event was a closed dinner involving the transgender community.

-- BERNAMA