KUALA LUMPUR: Controversial lawyer and activist Siti Zabedah Kasim was freed by the Magistrate's Court here today from a charge of obstructing a Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) officer from carrying out her duties, four years ago.
Siti Zabedah, or better known as Siti Kasim, was acquitted and discharged at the end of the prosecution's case without having her defence called.
Magistrate Tawfiq Affendy Chin, in his decision, ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove the elements of the charge under Section 186 of the Penal Code against the 57-year-old accused.
He said the charge framed against Siti Kasim was defective and did not specifically describe how she had obstructed the Jawi officer.
"Besides that, according to the testimonies by prosecution witnesses, Siti Kasim had cooperated (during the raid) and there was no evidence to show that the accused had obstructed the Jawi officer's duty," he said in his judgement.
The magistrate said during the raid, Siti Kasim was present at the event as a counsel who was defending her client by questioning why the officers did not produce a warrant for the raid.
Jawi should have followed the right procedures and conduct the raid in a more appropriate manner, he added.
"The court finds that the prosecution had failed to raise a reasonable doubt at the end of its case.
"Therefore, the court acquits the accused from the charge without having defence called," Tawfiq said.
Deputy public prosecutor Nur Asyikin Mokhtar appeared for the prosecution while lawyer Suzana Norlihan Alias represented Siti Kasim.
When met outside of the court after the proceeding, Siti Kasim said she was just doing her job as a counsel during the dinner event.
"I was put under a lot of pressure because of the charge framed against me. It has not only affected me mentally but also financially and people have perceived me in various ways.
"I was merely doing my job as a lawyer during the event held by the transgender community," she said.
On June 23, 2017, Siti Kasim was charged with obstructing Jawi enforcement officer Siti Nor Jihan Saleh@ Md Ghazali from carrying out her duties at the Ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel at 10.30pm on April 3, 2016.
It was reported that Siti Kasim was investigated by police for criminal intimidation and obstruction of public servants after she defended trans women from being arrested. Jawi had raided the private fundraising event by the transgender community.