malaysia
Pro-Umno blogger pays RM4,300 fine for assaulting foreign worker
Blogger Wan Muhammad Asri Wan Deris has been fined RM4,300 after pleading guilty to three charges of assault of a foreign worker. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Nazir Sufari, March 11, 2016.Blogger Wan Muhammad Asri Wan Deris, who pleaded guilty to three charges of assault of a foreign worker, was ordered to pay a RM4,300 fine by the Kuala Lumpur magistrate's court today.
Magistrate Husna Dzulkifly ordered that Wan Muhammad Asri, also known as Papagomo, pay the sums of RM1,000, RM1,500 and RM1,800 as fines for each of the three charges.
Earlier today, he pleaded guilty to the charges that were read under Section 323 of the Penal Code on voluntarily causing hurt, which carried a jail sentence of a year of a fine of RM2,000 for each offence.
Papagomo's lawyer, Azzizul Shariman Mat Yussof, in mitigating for his client asked the court to forgo a jail sentence and to impose a fine only.
"He did not cause severe injury and the injuries could even be considered light, which is why the complainant took his time in lodging a police report, which he did on March 6," Azzizul said.
The incident occurred on January 29.
Azzizul added that Papagomo was also caring for elderly parents who had diabetes, in addition to funding a younger sibling through university while his wife did not work.
He also had four children to care for, the lawyer told the court.
The first charge was for causing hurt to the victim by slapping his left cheek. The second charge was for punching the victim's face resulting in injury and the third was for kicking the victim in the groin.
The assault that was recorded on video was posted on Papagomo's Facebook page and went viral on social media.
Many viewers praised him for taking action as he said the foreign worker, believed to be a Pakistani, had disturbed two of his younger sisters and their friends.
But police have said Papagomo would be investigated for taking the law into his own hands.
The blogger, when met outside the court today, said he regretted his actions and admitted that he should have handed the matter to the police.
"Privately, I do regret, as a citizen under the law I should not have taken action on my own.
"However, as a big brother, I feel glad that my younger sisters know that they have a brother who will protect the family's honour." – March 11, 2016.
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