An army commando has pleaded not guilty in a High Court to promoting membership of the Islamic State

Commando denies promoting IS

In the dock: Muhammad Adibzakir (right) was accused of committing offence at the Iskandar camp in Mersing, Johor.

 

KUALA LUMPUR: An army commando has pleaded not guilty in a High Court to promoting membership of the Islamic State (IS).

Muhammad Adibzakir Zahri, 29, was accused of committing the offence at the Iskandar camp in Mersing, Johor in August 2014.

If convicted, he can be sentenced up to 30 years’ jail and fined under Section 130G(b) of the Penal Code.

Yesterday, High Court Judi­cial Commissioner Moha­mad Shariff Abu Samah acquitted the army commando over a similar charge after the prosecution withdrew a charge against him.

“The charge under Section 130G(b) will proceed,” he said.

At the outset, DPP Wan Shahidah Wan Omar applied for a similar charge against Muhammad Adibzakir under Section 130(b) of the Penal Code to be withdrawn.

His lawyer M. Visvanathan said his client also had another IS case at another High Court and that it would easier if it could be jointly heard as it involved the same witnesses.

The court set Feb 22 for mention to determine which court would hear Muhammad Adibzakir’s case.

Meanwhile, in another case in the same court, two men claimed trial to a kidnapping charge.

K. Arul Nathan, 43, and A. Laurence, 23, were alleged to have kidnapped one Davic Vaitan with the intention of killing him.

They were said to have done so with two accomplices, who are still at large, at Pusat Bandar Utara in Sentul on Nov 12, 2014.

If convicted, the two could face a death sentence or a maximum of 30-year jail sentence and whipping.

JC Mohamad Shariff set three days from April 11 for their trial.