KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 — A woman pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court here today to a charge of defaming businessman Datuk Seri Farhash Wafa Salvador Rizal Mubarak through a video recording uploaded last April.
Sofia Rini Buyong, 50, was accused of making defamatory statements alleging that Farhash Wafa Salvador, who is now a Turkish citizen, had stolen money and transferred it overseas, including to Turkiye and several African countries.
The alleged defamatory remarks, which were intended to damage the victim’s reputation, were made in a video recording at 6.30pm on April 26 this year.
She was charged under Section 500 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of two years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Magistrate Nurul Izzah Hasan Basri granted her bail of RM7,000 with one surety and fixed August 28 for mention.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamad Fadhly Mohd Zamry proposed bail of RM15,000 with one Malaysian surety.
However, lawyer Shugan Raman, representing Sofia Rini, sought a lower bail of RM500, citing his client’s financial hardship and medical conditions, including hypertension and diabetes.
Shugan told the court that the accused, whose husband died in 2025, lives with her mother and supports her son. He added that she had been declared bankrupt, had no steady source of income, and was currently on Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) bail after posting RM10,000.
“The RM15,000 bail sought by the prosecution is beyond her financial means, as the RM10,000 already posted with the MACC remains tied up,” he said.
In response, Mohamad Fadhly argued that the proposed bail was reasonable given the nature of the charge, adding that setting bail too low could increase the risk of the accused absconding. — Bernama
