Will blogger Jufazli be convicted on appeal for offensive posts?

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High Court to Rule on Blogger Jufazli's Appeal Against Acquittal for Offensive Posts

The High Court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on August 5 regarding the prosecution's appeal against the acquittal of human rights blogger Jufazli Shi Ahmad. Jufazli was previously discharged and acquitted by the Sessions Court on October 18, 2024, on two charges related to making offensive online content and failing to cooperate with police investigations. The prosecution contends that the Sessions Court judge made an error in finding no evidence linking Jufazli to the uploaded video, while the defense argues that the prosecution failed to prove Jufazli's ownership or administration of the YouTube account in question.
Prosecution's Argument on Appeal

The prosecution's appeal hinges on the assertion that the Sessions Court judge erred in their initial ruling. Specifically, the prosecution argues that the court was wrong to conclude that no evidence connected Jufazli Shi Ahmad to the video that was uploaded. Deputy public prosecutor Mohamad Shahrizzat Amadan submitted that this alleged error warrants intervention by the High Court to review the acquittal.
Defence's Stance on Evidence

Conversely, Jufazli's defense team maintains that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence to establish his connection to the YouTube account. Counsel Ramesh N.P. Chandran argued that no evidence was adduced from YouTube itself to prove that Jufazli was the administrator or owner of the account identified as "KingMaker." This lack of direct proof forms a cornerstone of the defense's argument for upholding the acquittal.
Original Charges and Penalties

Jufazli Shi Ahmad initially faced charges for uploading a video titled “Panas!! Supermodel Kantoi Merompak RM77.3 billion” on the YouTube channel "King Maker Politik" on June 27, 2022. This charge, under Section 233(1)(a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) 1998, carries a potential maximum penalty of a RM50,000 fine, up to one year imprisonment, or both. He also faced a separate charge for failing to provide the password to his YouTube account to the police on July 5, 2022, an offense punishable under Section 249 of the CMA with a maximum fine of RM100,000 or imprisonment for up to two years, or both.

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Will blogger Jufazli be convicted on appeal for offensive posts?

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