Kuala lumpur: Blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, commonly known as Papagomo, entered a plea of not guilty in the Sessions Court to charges related to the creation and dissemination of false information on Facebook in May.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wan Muhammad Azri, aged 41, is accused of using his Facebook account ‘Muhammad Azri’ to publish a false claim. The contentious post allegedly stated that 11 members of the Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) had withdrawn their backing for the party’s president and Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

The alleged incident took place at 7.32 pm on May 28, with the statement being accessed later that night at 11.45 pm at the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) office in Cyberjaya.

The former UMNO Youth executive committee member faces charges under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. This could result in a fine reaching RM500,000, a prison sentence of up to two years, or both, if convicted. Additionally, there is a potential further fine of RM5,000 for each day the offence continues post-conviction.

MCMC deputy public prosecutor, Faten Hadni Khairuddin, suggested a bail amount of RM5,000 with one surety and requested a date for document submission. Conversely, Papagomo’s lawyer, Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, advocated for reduced bail, emphasizing his client’s responsibility as a father to six children, one of whom requires special care due to autism.

Additionally, Muhammad Rafique noted his client’s history of cooperation with the MCMC in previous cases and his consistent court attendance. The Sessions Court Judge Ahmad Fuad Othman ultimately set the bail at RM5,000 with one surety, scheduling the next case mention for January 7.

Outside the courtroom, Muhammad Rafique informed that the trial dates have been scheduled from April 27 to 30 of the following year.