Blackout 505 rally: Rafizi Ramli fined RM1,950

KUALA LUMPUR: PKR vice-president Mohd Rafizi Ramli and three others were fined RM1,950 each by the Sessions Court Tuesday for organising the Blackout 505 rally three years ago.

Judge Mat Ghani Abdullah imposed the fine on Mohd Rafizi, 39, who is also Pandan MP; Seremban MP Anthony Loke Siew Fook, 39; former PKR secretariat member Muhammad Adib Ishar, 27; and Batu Burok assemblyman Dr Syed Azman Syed Ahmad Nawawi, 54, after they pleaded guilty to the alternative charge read to them.

The Court gave them until 3pm Wednesday to pay the fine, failing which they would have to serve two months in jail.

According to the charge sheet, all accused, as organisers of the rally, had failed to produce a copy of the letter of approval from the Kuala Lumpur City Hall, the owner of Padang Merbok, to organise the rally at the field.

They also failed to inform the police within a 10-day period  before holding the rally at Padang Merbok, Jalan Parlimen here, between 2pm and 6pm on June 22, 2013.

 The alternative charge under Section 9(1) of the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 carries fine of up to RM10,000 upon conviction.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Nurul Huda Mohd Nor appealed for apt punishment to be handed down to all the accused as the rally had caused a commotion.

She said based on the testimonies of prosecution witnesses, there were attempts by the rally participants to stop DBKL personnel from removing tents put up at the field.

"The defence's submission that the rally was held peacefully without any commotion was not true as over 8,000 people attended the rally," she said.

Mohd Rafizi and Loke were represented by counsel Gobind Singh Deo, Muhammad Adib by counsel Eric Paulsen and Syed Azman by counsel Azizul Shariman Mat Yusoff. - Bernama