KUALA LUMPUR: Blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, also known as Papagomo, has been sentenced by the High Court to 30 days’ jail for contempt of court in a defamation suit filed by former inspector-general of police (IGP) Tan Sri Razarudin Husain.
Judicial Commissioner Gan Techiong delivered the sentence on Wednesday after hearing submissions from both parties in the committal proceedings brought by Razarudin, who argued that Wan Muhammad Azri was insincere in his apology to the former top cop.
JC Gan said Wan Muhammad Azri’s apology to Razarudin on social media was "unacceptable".
On April 30, Wan Muhammad Azri uploaded a video of his apology on his social media accounts, with a classic by P. Ramlee, “Maafkan Kami,” playing in the background.
“It is my finding that the apology issued by the defendant is not acceptable as an apology.
The addition of the P. Ramlee song as background music makes it appear as an entertainment video instead of an apology,” JC Gan said.
Wan Muhammad Azri was sentenced to 15 days for failing to properly comply with the court order to apologise to Razarudin, and another 15 days for making a statement in the video that showed a lack of remorse.
The sentences will run consecutively and he was also ordered to pay Razarudin RM30,000 in costs.
The court allowed Wan Muhammad Azri a stay of execution pending his appeal against the sentence.
This is the second time Razarudin has filed a leave application, claiming Wan Muhammad Azri failed to comply with several matters outlined in the committal order dated April 30.
In his application, Razarudin said Wan Muhammad Azri published a video on his TikTok ("Papa Azri") and YouTube ("Sir Azri") accounts on May 1, in which he made several statements.
Razarudin said the video statements were contrary to the written apology agreed upon and read before the High Court on April 30.
On April 30, Wan Muhammad Azri issued an unreserved apology to the IGP for defamatory and demeaning remarks made earlier this year.
The apology related to two media postings published in January, despite a court order on December 31 prohibiting him from making such statements.
During the April 30 proceedings, the court was scheduled to hear contempt of court proceedings initiated by Razarudin but both parties were advised to seek a resolution, which led to Wan Muhammad Azri’s apology and subsequent purging of the contempt.
On December 26 last year, Razarudin filed a RM3mil defamation suit against Wan Muhammad Azri, also naming Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as a related party.
