Yearender: Court cases in 2012

1. Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim sodomy II trial

The politicial career of the country’s former deputy prime minister could have been killed for good as he faced a jail term of 20 years for the offence of carnal intercourse against the order of nature, a charge that was brought upon him under Section 377B of the Penal Code, four years ago. However, in what seemed like the most anticipated court case decision of the year, Anwar was acquitted by the High Court on Jan 9 for allegedly sodomising Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, his former aide, at a condominium in Bukit Damansara on June 26, 2008. The acquittal would pave way for him to contest in the next general elections.

2. National Feedlot saga

The findings in the 2010 Auditor General’s report on the National Feedlot Corporation Sdn Bhd ( NFCorp), an integrator for the National Feedlot Centre (NFC), engraved a bitter mark on the government. The revelation that the project only managed to meet 41.1 per cent of production target left the opposition rubbing their hands in glee as they used it as a benchmark expose truckloads of further revelations about the project. NFC executive chairman is Datuk Seri Dr Muhamad Salleh Ismail who is also former Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s husband. Shahrizat filed RM100 million defamation suit against PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli and PKR Wanita chief Zuraida kamaruddin on Jan 19. Shahrizat later announced her resignation from her cabinet post on March 11. Mohamad Salleh was subsequently charged with two counts of criminal breach of trust (CBT) and two offences under the Companies Act involving a total of RM49.7 million, related to the purchase of two condomonium units in Bangsar.

3. Pakatan MPs charged under the Peaceful Assembly Act

Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, PKR deputy president Mohamed Azmin Ali and Rembau PKR chief Badrul Hisham Shaharin were charged in the Sessions Court in Jalan Duta on May 22 for breaching a court order barring the public from entering Dataran Merdeka on April 28 during the Bersih 3.0 rally. They were also slapped with a second charge of abetting to incite three individuals into opening the barricade and entering Dataran Merdeka. They both claimed trial. The three are the first to be prosecuted under the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012.

4. Bersih leaders charged

The government sued Bersih co-chairman Datuk S. Ambiga and nine other rally organisers for RM122,000 over damages to vehicles sustained during the April 28 Bersih 3.0 rally. The suit, filed on May 15, stated that 10 cars, three motorcycles and two water cannon trucks owned by the government were damaged when the rally turned chaotic. The plaintiff claimed that the vehicles were kicked and pelted with stones, water bottles and rocks by rally participants, costing the government RM122,000 in repairs.

5. Nayati kidnap case

The nation was shaken when a 12-year-old Dutch national Nayati Shamelin Moodliar, was kidnapped by two men on April 27 while walking to his international school. He was released six days later after his family paid RM300,000 in ransom to secure his release. On May 22, three friends were charged with the kidnap. Trader Chong Tat Siong, 23, handphone seller Foong Khar Fai, 19, and jobless Lee Phak Seng, 23, were charged in the magistrates court.

6. Amok in Putrajaya

It was like a scene from a movie when local media reported a rare case of a couple running amok in front of the Prime Minister’s department. On July 9, Khalil Afandi Abd Hamid and Muhdalena Ahmad, armed with samurai swords, were shot by police. Khalil was killed and Muhdalena sustained injuries. The 28-year-old woman was later charged with committing criminal intimidation and possession of a sword on July 16 from her hospital bed in Putrajaya Hospital where she was warded after she was shot in the right thigh. She was alleged to have committed criminal intimidation by threatening to cause grievous hurt to auxiliary policeman Ridzuan Megat Ahmad in the vicinity of Complex B of the Prime Minister's Department.

7. Aminulrasyid shooting

A 15-year-old schoolboy, Aminulrasyid Amzah, was shot dead by a police officer two years ago. On Sept 15 2011, Kpl Jenain Subi was sentenced to five years in prison after he was found guilty of causing Aminulrasyid’s death at Jalan Tarian 11/2 here between 1.10am and 2am on April 26, 2010. On Sept 19 the same year, he filed an appeal. On Dec 5 this year, he was acquitted.

8. Ipoh domestic violence

A footage of a man beating up his pregnant wife became viral in Facebook in August. Calven Chik, 26, was charged on Oct 2 with intent to cause hurt towards Amanda Fong, 19, at the Amanda & Co boutique in Ipoh Garden South on Aug 23 at about 4pm. He claimed trial at a magistrate's court in Ipoh. Two days later, the state Welfare Department obtained an interim restraining order by the Ipoh High Court to protect Fong from her husband for alleged domestic violence.

9. Kapar child abuse

Malaysians were shocked a video of a man beating up a small child went viral on social media sites in December. The nine-minute clip, recorded in the living room of a house in Taman Intan, Kapar, showed a man verbally and physically abusing the four-year-old. On Dec 18, Rajasegaran, 32, from Kapar, had pleaded not guilty at a majistrate’s court in Klang to a charge of abusing the boy at a house in Kapar about 12.30pm last September. Rajasegaran, who was unrepresented, asked to be allowed bail as he had to support two wives and four children, aged between eight months and five years. He also said that his second wife, who is the victim's mother, was pregnant with his fifth child.