Datuk Seri in Rela assault case acquitted after victims accept RM2,000 compound payment

KUALA LUMPUR: An Ampang magistrate's court here has discharged and acquitted a Datuk Seri accused of assaulting two Rela members in 2017 after he paid a RM2,000 compound to each victim.

Magistrate Mohamad Firdaus Sadina Ali made the order for acquittal after being informed by lawyer Datuk Seri Rajpal Singh, who represented the accused Datuk Seri Liow Soon Hee, that the victims had agreed to settle the case through compound payment under Section 260 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

The trial was initially set to continue on Friday (May 10).

Rajpal said his client was remorseful of his actions and wanted to pay compensation.

"We wish to save the court's time," he said here on Friday.

DPP Nur Intan Syakieraah Zakaria did not object.

Magistrate Mohamad Firdaus Sadina Ali then directly asked the victims – Lee Weng Poh, 29, and Leong Jun Jie, 23 – if they were forced to accept the compound payment.

The men replied through an interpreter that they were not forced to accept.

Liow then stood up in the dock and handed over the money in cash to the victims and shook hands with them.

In November 2017, Liow pleaded not guilty under Section 323 of the Penal Code to causing injury to Lee and Leong at the compound of Kou Ong Yah temple in Ampang.

Liow was swarmed by the press after the proceedings ended but he rushed into in his MPV and left.