KUANTAN: ‘The Lower Syariah Court yesterday postponed again the case of leader of the ‘Tuhan Harun’ deviant sect, Harun Mat Saat, to July 22.
Syarie Judge Abdul Wahid Md Ali Al-Fakwie set the date after hearing the application from Pahang Islamic Religious Department syarie deputy prosecutor Mohd Fahmi Abd Jalil that he needed more time to examine the legal representation submitted by syarie counsel Abdullah Sidek.
Mohd Fahmi said the legal representation to drop the 10 charges against the accused on grounds that he was not a ‘mukalaf’ (Islamically accountable person), was received on April 21, together with an endorsement letter from the hospital.
Harun, 47, attended yesterday’s proceedings in a wheelchair after suffering a mild stroke end of last year.
On April 24 last year, he pleaded not guilty to all 10 charges including of spreading deviant teachings which went against Islam and declaring himself as ‘Tuhan Harun’ and printing leaflets and books on the deviant teachings.
Meanwhile, Abdullah, filed an application for a new date for mention as he was just being appointed to represent three of Harun’s followers — Husin Ismail, 44, Mohd Khalilie Zazali, 32 and Mohd Nizam Mohd Salleh, 44.
The trio were separately charged with possession of documents that contravene Islamic rulings.
They were alleged to have committed the offence at a premises, B160-1st Floor, Lorong Pandan Damai 2/201, Kuantan at 6.50pm on April 4, 2013.
The charge under Section 165 of the Pahang Islamic Religious Administration and Malay
Custom Enactment 1982 provides for a fine of not exceeding RM2,000 or two years’ jail, or both, if convicted.
The court also set July 22 for case mention.
The court also granted Mohd Fahmi’s application for the warrants of arrest issued on three other accused, Pius Anahong@Mahdi Abdullah, Syahiszam Soid and Mohd Shahril Mohd Jaafar who did not turn up in court yesterday, to be extended. — Bernama