Updated - 4 Bersih protesters slapped with additional charge

Four Bersih protesters today were slapped with an additional charge, where three were charged with rioting and one with causing injury to a cameraman.

The three charged under Section 147  of the Penal Code with rioting were lawyer G Rajesh Kumar, Rasah PKR division chief R Thangam and PKR member Farhan Ibrahim.

The three faced similar charge, where each of them was accused of breaching a magistrate’s order and resorting to violence during the rally with over five other Bersih participants who are still at large, who were members of a group which had broken the law.
 
The three allegedly commited the offence at 3pm on April 28 at Jalan Raja. They face a maximum five years’ imprisonment or fine, if found guilty.

They were previously charged under Section 143 of the Penal Code with breaching a magistrate court’s order and with illegal assembly.

The other protester, Safuan Mamat (right), was charged under Section 323 of Penal Code with deliberately causing injury to Al-Hijrah cameraman Mohd Azri Mohd Salleh, 28.       

Safuan allegedly committed the offence at 3.50pm on April 28 at Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman.
 
If found guilty, he faces a jail sentence of up to a year or a fine of up to RM2,000 or both.

The Trengganu technician was previously charged with causing mischief during the disturbances and with disobeying an order of a public servant under Sections 440 and 174 of the Penal Code.

All four claimed trial for the additional charges, and the Sessions Court fixed July 2 for mention of the rioting charge.

As for the causing injury charge, the court fixed Sept 4 to 7 for hearing.

“My client wasn't informed of his new charge, he only knew it in court room,” said Rajpal Singh, counsel for Rajesh Kumar.

He added that today was the mention date fixed by judge Mahmud Abdullah, but the accused was slapped with a new charge.

“The prosecution will apply on July 2 for a joint trial with the case of PKR leaders who were charge with abetting the three (to breach the barricade),” he said.

Jagpal was referring to PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim and deputy president Azmin Ali, who were charged with abetting by inciting Thangam, Farhan and Rajesh into opening the barricade and entering Dataran Merdeka.

July 2 is also the date fixed by the same judge for the case to be mentioned for Anwar and two others.

The prosecution team was led by Mohamad Hanafiah Zakaria, while Shamsul Iskandar Mohd Akin represented Farhan and Thangam.

Student activist's trial set for July 30 and 31 

Meanwhile, a magistrate’s court in Kuala Lumpur has set July 30 to commence the trial of Umar Mohd Azmi, a student activist who was charged in relation to the Occupy Dataran movement.

The court will hear the case on July 30 and 31, said deputy public prosecutor Wong Chai Xia.

Wong also said the prosecution today has handed out the video footage and documents pertaining to the case to Umar’s (left) defence counsel.

The 23-year-old activist was charged under Section 186 of the Penal Code with obstructing an officer from performing his duties.

If found guilty, Umar can be jailed for up to two years or fined a maximum of RM10,000 or both.

A group had started an Occupy Dataran movement from April 14 to urge that the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) be scrapped, and Umar was the first student activist to be charged in court in relation to the movement.