KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 1 — PKR’s Rafizi Ramli has been ordered to enter his defence for unauthorised possession and exposing confidential 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) documents.
Sessions court judge Zulqarnain Hassan said that based the evidence presented so far, including the publishing of the document page on Rafizi’s website, Facebook page and the fact that he had the document page on his mobile phone, and that this was sufficient in establishing a prima facie case.
“In my opinion, the prosecution has presented a prima facie case,” the judge told the court.
“Among the reasons is that the accused, Yang Berhormat Rafizi has been proven to be in possession and had exposed page 98 of the report,” he added.
September 27 has been set for the continuation of the trial.
The Pandan MP, who is also PKR vice-president and secretary-general was charged with unauthorised possession of page 98 of the 1MDB Audit Report, which is classified under the Official Secrets Act 1972.
The possession charge under Section 8(1)(c)(iii) of the Act provides a jail term up to seven years, if found guilty.
He is accused of committing the offence at the Parliament lobby on March 24.
Rafizi is also charged for exposing the contents at a press conference on March 28 under Section 8(1)(c)(iv) of the same Act which provides a maximum seven-year jail term, upon conviction.
