PUTRAJAYA: Actor-director Farid Kamil Zahari has been fined RM5,000 in default six months' jail for self-administering drugs four years ago.
This followed the Court of Appeal’s decision on Wednesday (Nov 30) in allowing his appeal to set aside his nine-month jail sentence imposed by the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court in 2019, substituting the prison term with a fine instead.
The three-judge bench led by Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said, however, upheld a two-year supervision order by the National Anti-Drug Agency on the actor.
Farid Kamil paid the fine.
Justice Kamaludin, who sat with Justices Datuk Wira Ahmad Nasfy Yasin and Datuk See Mee Chun, in a unanimous decision said the Magistrate’s Court was inconsistent in its consideration when handing down the jail sentence on Farid Kamil.
The judge said there was no concrete explanation to state that the punishment was commensurate with the offence committed at the time and that were aggravating aspects, such as past offences.
"In this case, we found the facts quite straightforward and did not lead to a too serious or heavy offence,” he said.
On May 15, 2019, the Magistrate’s Court sentenced the actor to nine months' jail after finding him guilty of using the drug THC or 11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid at the narcotics office of Petaling Jaya police headquarters at 4.30pm on Jan 11, 2018.
In November 2019, the Shah Alam High Court upheld the sentence which prompted the actor to file an appeal.
His wife, actress Diana Danielle, and his brother Fadzil were present at the court on Wednesday.
When met outside the court, Farid Kamil expressed his gratitude for the decision, which he described as the best for him.
"I’m so happy now that the case is finally settled and I can focus on my next film, Anwar, which is now at the final stage of filming and scheduled to hit the cinemas in February,” he said.
Farid Kamil was represented by lawyers Datuk Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, Kee Wei Lon and Low Wei Loke, while deputy public prosecutor Eyu Ghim Siang appeared for the prosecution. – Bernama
