Rafizi found guilty of possessing, disclosing 1MDB audit report

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sessions Court has convicted Pandan MP Mohd Rafizi Ramli (pic) over charges of unauthorised possession of the 1MDB audit report and exposing it to the media.

Sessions Judge Zulqarnain Hassan found Rafizi guilty of both offences.

Zulqarnain said Monday that a video of Rafizi giving a media conference on the issue clearly showed him committing both offences.

He added that Rafizi had failed to raise doubts in his unsworn evidence, which he gave when he was ordered to enter a defence over the charges.

Rafizi was charged with possessing Page 98 of the 1Malaysia Development Bhd audit report without approval, which he acquired in violation of the Official Secrets Act 1972 (OSA).

He was said to have committed the offence at the Parliament lobby in Jalan Parlimen here at 3pm on March 24 this year.

Rafizi, 39, was also accused of exposing without approval, the contents of the same page of the audit report during a press conference on March 28, thus endangering the secret.

He had on April 8 claimed trial to violating the OSA. He was later released on a RM3,000 bail pending disposal of the case.

Article 48(1)(e) of the Federal Constitution states that an MP is disqualified if sentenced to jail for a year or more or fined RM2,000 and above and has not received a pardon.