Ibrahim Ali’s contempt conviction set aside

(Bernama) – Perkasa President Ibrahim Ali’s conviction, one-day jail term and RM20,000 fine for contempt of court were set aside by the Court of Appeal here today.

“Although I have served a day’s jail, I have accepted it in good faith,” he told reporters after the court delivered its verdict. “Praise be to God. I knew all the while I was not guilty.” he told reporters after the court’s verdict.

A three-member panel led by Abdul Wahab Patail allowed Ibrahim’s appeal to overturn the decision of the High Court, which had found him guilty of contempt of court over a website posting against retired High Court judge VT Singham, who presided over a defamation suit brought by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim against Utusan Melayu and its editor-in-chief Abdul Aziz Ishak.

The other two judges on the panel were David Wong Dak Wah and Varghese George Varughese. The unanimous judgement was written by Varughese and was read out in open court by deputy registrar Zaini Fishir alias Fisal.

The court was of the view that the High Court judge was clearly in error in both fact and law. Varughese said the finding that Ibrahim had committed contempt was unsafe to be sustained.

He ordered that the RM20,000 fine which Ibrahim had paid be refunded to him.

Ibrahim and Zainuddin Salleh, who was the writer of the article posted, were found guilty of contempt of court by the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Nov 19 last year. Zainuddin served four week in jail. He did not appeal his conviction.