KUALA LUMPUR: A man, known as Hot Daddy, and his two female friends accused of promoting sexual activities have been given a discharge not amounting to acquittal (DNAA) by the Sessions Court today.
This came after deputy public prosecutor Nidzuwan Abd Latip told judge Siti Shakirah Mohtarudin that arrest warrants could not be executed on the trio despite multiple attempts.
In October, arrest warrants were issued on Hasli Ikhwan Arif Zul Hasli, 32; Norshazrina Md Zamri, 27; and Norhidayah Mahadi, 24, after they failed to appear in court.
Siti Shakirah said based on an investigation diary, the court found that the prosecution had tried three times to locate the accused but failed to execute the arrest warrants.
"I want to put on record that their bailors failed to come to court to provide an explanation for their absence.
"Therefore, the court issued a DNAA on these three cases (three accused) until the execution of the arrest warrants."
Earlier during today's proceedings, Nidzuwan said police were tracking the three accused.
"Notices were served on their bailors but none came forward to the court to explain the trio's absence.
"I submit the investigation diary for the court's reference on efforts undertaken by the police to track the accused.
"The prosecution requests an extension of the arrest warrants to locate the accused, who may be either in the country or abroad, as the process takes time."
Defence lawyer Razif Toha did not object to the prosecution's request.
On Jan 26, father-of-three Hasli Ikhwan, who sold explicit videos of himself engaging in sexual activities with more than 20 women on Telegram, 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 Telegram.
He had said that this was the first case of its kind detected in the country, requiring large-scale efforts to combat its societal impact.
The main suspect, who had been married and divorced twice, started selling and promoting sexual enhancement drugs from China on social media since early last year.
Shuhaily had said the suspect learned to record videos of himself engaging in rough sex with his female companions before selling the scenes on Telegram since July last year.
The main suspect, allegedly with a background as a gigolo, was also believed to have engaged in sexual activities with female customers who subscribed to his content.
The modus operandi involved inviting customers to subscribe through promotional links advertised by the suspect on Telegram before payment transactions were agreed on.
He 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.