Rafizi released on good behaviour bond over OSA conviction

PUTRAJAYA: PKR vice-president Mohd Rafizi Ramli (pic) has been bound over for two years on a good behaviour bond of RM10,000 in one surety for exposing a page of the 1MDB audit report.

Court of Appeal judge Justice Ahmadi Asnawi, who chaired the three-man panel, made the order Friday after allowing Rafizi's appeal against his 18 months' jail sentence.

Justice Ahmadi however, upheld Rafizi's conviction.

Other judges on the panel were Justices Kamardin Hashim and Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil.

Rafizi was charged with exposing Page 98 of the 1MDB audit report without approval at the Parliament lobby on March 28, 2016.

He was also accused of possessing the 1MDB audit report without approval on March 24 at the same place.

He was charged under the Official Secrets Act 1972 (OSA).

Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud raised no objection.

DPP Awang Armadajaya said they wished to withdraw their cross appeal against the acquittal.

Meanwhile, Rafizi's counsel Ahmad Nizam Hamid said the sentence was excessive and asked for his client to be bound over on a good behaviour bond as it did not affect the country's security.

On Aug 23, last year, High Court judge Justice Azman Abdullah upheld the jail sentence against Rafizi for exposing a page of the 1MDB audit report.

Rafizi, however, was acquitted and discharged of possessing the report without approval.

On Nov 14, 2016, Mohd Rafizi was jailed 18 months by Sessions Court judge Zulqarnain Hassan for unauthorised possession of the 1MDB audit report and exposing it to the media.