PETALING JAYA, Jan 11 ― The Magistrate's Court issued a warrant of arrest today for Datuk Farid Kamil Zahari for failing to attend day four of trial proceedings in an ongoing case against him, Berita Harian reported.
The arrest warrant was issued by Magistrate Nor Ariffin Hisham after the court approved deputy public prosecutor Alia Sumayyah Amran’s application.
Alia’s application came after the Lagenda Budak Setan actor failed to appear in court without the presence of a guarantor and the failure to issue a sick leave certificate to the court.
Nor Ariffin said the court issued the warrant of arrest because the court was not provided with a reason by the defense on the accused’s failure to appear in the proceedings.
However, lawyer Megat Syazlee Mokhtarom, who is representing Farid, has appealed to cancel the warrant until his client’s next hearing on January 14.
“My client is in Johor Baru right now and I have informed him last night but he could not make it on time,” he was reported as saying.
Previously, the court fixed a three-day trial for the actor’s drug charges and an additional four days for criminal charges he is facing.
On January 25, 2018, the 37-year-old actor pleaded not guilty to the magistrate's court on allegations of using tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or marijuana at the Narcotics Office, Petaling Jaya District Police Headquarters (IPD) at 4.30pm on January 11, 2018.
He was charged under Section 15 (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drug Act which carries a maximum jail term of two years or a fine of up to RM5,000 or both, if convicted.
Farid also faces five counts of injuring a member of the public and police personnel, preventing policemen from performing their duties and indecent behaviour at the Kota Damansara traffic police station counter on January 11, 2018.
On March 9 last year, he was charged again for giving false evidence in a report involving his drugs case.
