KUALA LUMPUR: Nine out of the 13 individuals charged with the kidnapping of a Palestinian man linked to mobile phone hacking have sent representation to the Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) to quash or reduce their charges.
Lawyer Norma Goh, who represented the nine, informed High Court judge Justice K. Muniandy that the representation was sent to the AGC last month.
The nine, aged between 25 and 56, are Mohamad Norakmal Hassan, Dody Junaidi, Tengku Arif Bongsu Tengku Hamid, Mohamad Naziree Mustapha, Faizull Hardey Mohd Isa, Muhammad Iqmal Abdul Rahis, Mohamad Sufian Saly, Mohd Zaidi Mohd Zain and Tengku Hazarul Ismail Tengku Hamid.
Meanwhile, lawyer Muhammad Amin Abdullah, who represented Nidarahayu Zainal, 36; lawyer Wan Muhd Ariff Ameer Wan Normazlan who represented Raibafie Amdan, 41; lawyer Adi Zulkarnain Zulkafli for Muhammad Al Hatim Mohd Fauzi and lawyer Navinjit Singh for Edy Ko’im Said, 42, also informed the court that they will be sending a similar representation to the AGC soon.
Justice Muniandy then fixed a five-day hearing between July 7 and July 11 next year for trial.
The court also fixed Aug 22 for hearing on bail application as the accused persons were seeking bail pending the hearing of their case.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Datin Kalmizah Salleh informed the court that the prosecution would be calling 30 witnesses to the stand.
The 13 individuals were first charged in October 2022, at the Magistrate's Court.
According to the charge, they allegedly detained Omar Z. M. Albelbaisy Raeda with a common intention to obtain secret information on deactivating computer software used to hack mobile phones.
They were accused of committing the act at Jalan Mayang here at 10.40pm on Sept 28 and charged under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code which provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping if convicted.
In December last year, the High Court allowed the case to be transferred and tried in the Sessions Court.
On Jan 19, the charge was read out again in the Sessions Court and they applied for bail but it was dismissed.
Earlier this month, the Court of Appeal ordered for the case to be tried at the High Court after ruling that the AG has the power to choose the venue for trial.
