Prosecution appeals against Siti Kasim’s acquittal

The prosecution has filed an appeal against the acquittal of lawyer Siti Kasim over the charge of obstructing a Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) officer during a raid on a private transgender event in 2016.

Her counsel Saha Deva Arunasalam said the prosecution filed the appeal at the Kuala Lumpur High Court on Aug 27.

On Aug 21, it was reported that the Kuala Lumpur Magistrate’s Court discharged and acquitted the social activist over the charge of obstructing a public servant from carrying out her duty during the 2016 raid.

“The prosecution filed the criminal appeal on Aug 27.

“We have not been given notice (about the appeal),” Saha said, adding that they just found out about it today.

The lawyer was speaking to the media after attending the case management of Siti’s related lawsuit against Jawi at the Kuala Lumpur High Court this morning.

On Sept 12 last year, Malaysiakini reported that Siti filed the legal action against Jawi and 18 others over her alleged wrongful arrest during the 2016 raid on the transgender event.

However, on Oct 9 last year, it was reported that her civil suit’s proceedings were put on hold until the disposal of her criminal case at the Magistrate’s Court.

In relation to the civil suit, Saha said judge Latifah Mohd Tahar had fixed Oct 28 for further case management on the matter.

He said the Oct 28 case management is to update the civil court over the status of the criminal appeal currently before a separate High Court.

Saha added that the plaintiff’s legal team is closely following developments in the criminal appeal as they are looking into whether to include another party into the related civil suit.

Checks at the online cause list showed that the prosecution’s appeal against Siti’s acquittal is set for mention before Kuala Lumpur High Court registrar Farah Azura Mohd Saad at 9am on Oct 5.

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