Kota Kinabalu: A retired primary school headmaster who threatened a forensic pathologist involved in the Zara Qairina Mahathir inquest was fined RM10,000, in default two months’ jail, by the Sessions Court.
Judge Marlina Ibrahim meted out the sentence to 61-year-old Kamul Kamarudin, who changed his plea and pleaded guilty to the charge on Friday.
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Kamul had posted a message on Facebook under the name “Amung Kamaruddin” on Sept 4, which included references to tracing the doctor’s movements and even a potential hit-and-run.
The post was intended to cause annoyance and was read by Dr Jessie Hiu at 4.15pm the following day.
The offence falls under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, punishable by a fine of up to RM500,000, up to two years’ jail, or both, with an additional RM5,000 fine for each day the offence continues after conviction.
Dr Hiu, a forensic pathologist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, was the first deponent at the inquest on Zara’s death on Sept 3 and 4.
The threatening comment was brought to her attention by Sabah State Health Director Dr William Gotulis, who spotted it on Facebook and sent her a screenshot.
Feeling threatened, Dr Hiu lodged a police report the same day.
Kamul was arrested on Sept 7, and his handphone was seized. Investigations linked the phone and the Facebook account to him, confirming his identity.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Lovely Natasha Charles and Eugenie Meredith Gilbert represented the prosecution, while Rizwandean M Borhan and Elhanan James defended Kamul.
