KUALA LUMPUR: An arrest warrant has been issued for Hasli Ikhwan Arif Zul Hasli, 32, also known as "Hot Daddy", after he failed to show up at a court mention proceedings related to charges of sexual activities advertisements today.
The warrants were also issued for Hasli Ikhwan's two female accomplices, Norshazrina Md Zamri, 27, and Norhidayah Mahadi, 24.
Sessions Court judge Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin ordered the issuance of the arrest warrants after the trio failed to appear in court despite having their names repeatedly called when proceedings began at 9am but were adjourned to 11am pending their arrival.
However, up until 11am, when the trio and even their bailors were not seen in court, deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Shahrizzat Amadan applied for arrest warrants to be issued against the trio.
At a separate court, judge Suzana Hussin also issued an arrest warrant against Norshazrina who was not in court to face charges under the Film Censorship Act 2002.
Nov 8 was set for mention at both courts.
After the proceedings, defence lawyer Muhammad Faris Abrar Othman said he had contacted his clients yesterday to inform them of the court proceedings today.
"I called them again today but they could not be reached. There were ring tones but it went unanswered," he said.
On Jan 26, Hasli Ikwan, a father of three, who sold explicit videos of himself engaging in sexual activities with over 20 women on the Telegram application was jointly charged with Norshazrina and Norhidayah.
They claimed trial to the charge under Section 372(1)(e) of the Penal Code and punishable under the section read together with Section 34 of the same code.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain had said the male suspect was identified through information and investigations by Bukit Aman's Criminal Investigation Department on his self-promotion of recorded sexual activities for viewing on the Telegram application.
He said this was the first time such a case had been detected in the country. He added that it must be combated on a large scale as police feared such activities may cause a moral breakdown in society.
Initial investigations revealed that the main suspect, who had been married and divorced twice, started selling and promoting sexual enhancement drugs from China through social media platforms early last year.
Shuhaily had said to maximise profits, the suspect learned new ways to record explicit videos of himself engaging in rough sexual acts with his female companions before selling the scenes on three channels on Telegram in July last year.
Besides his female companions, the suspect, who was believed to have a background as a gigolo or a hired male companion, also engaged in sexual activities with some female customers on the Telegram channels.
The modus operandi involved inviting customers to subscribe through promotional links advertised by the suspect on Telegram before payment transactions were agreed upon.
Shuhaily had said after payment was made, the suspect would send a link to the customer to continue watching the explicit videos that he himself performed.