KOTA KINABALU: A 36-year-old teacher has been charged with spreading false information about a man via a WhatsApp group, accusing him of being a rapist.
Rafeah Buang, a teacher in the information technology department of the Community Development Department (Kemas) pleaded not guilty to the charges in front of Tawau Sessions Court judge Awang Krisnada Awang Mahmud on Tuesday.
This is believed to the first case involving the spread of false information via WhatsApp heard in the country.
According to the facts of case, Rafeah had allegedly committed the offence under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, at about 11.45am on Dec 11, 2014.
She allegedly sent a message alerting members of a WhatsApp group known as ‘Karpet Kemas 189 Semporna’ about a black vehicle allegedly belonging to a rapist from Kg. Simunul, Semporna and to tell others about it and be careful.
Rafeah could be fined up to RM50,000 or jailed up to a year, or both.
She could also be subject to a RM1,000 fine for each day the false information was in circulation.
Mohd Sophian Zakaria from the Malaysia Communication and Multimedia Commission who prosecuted recommended that the accused be allowed a RM2,000 bail with one surety.
The judge allowed bail of RM2500 and one surety and fixed Jan 21, 2018 for the case to be tried in Semporna.
Rafeah paid the bail.
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