Sentencing postponed for Farid Kamil

SHAH ALAM, June 19 (Bernama) -- The High Court here today allowed an application by Datuk Farid Kamil Zahari to postpone the nine-month jail sentence he is serving for a drug offence, pending his appeal against the sentence.

Judge Datuk Ab Karim Ab Rahman came to the decision after considering that the hearing  proceedings on the stay of execution requested by Farid Kamil would take quite some time.

He ordered the 38-year-old actor and director to pay bail of RM10,000 with one surety, surrender his passport to the court and report to the nearest police station every month until his appeal is heard.

Farid Kamil was represented by lawyers Amirul Ridzuan Hanif and Ahmad Safuan Hazlan while deputy public prosecutor Ahmad Nazneen Zulkifli appeared on behalf of the prosecution named as respondents in the application.

Farid Kamil's younger brother, Fadzil Bahri attended the proceedings today. 

Farid Kamil who was jailed at the Kajang Prison, filed an appeal against the decision of the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court on May 21 and filed an application for stay of the court order on May 31.

On May 15, Magistrate Nor Ariffin Hisham meted out the jail sentence on Farid Kamil  and ordered him to be under the supervision of the National Anti-Drugs Agency (AADK) for two years, after finding that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt.

In addition the Magistrate's Court did not allow a stay of execution pending an appeal.

Throughout the trial which began on Dec 18, 2018, five prosecution witnesses were called to testify while the actor chose to remain silent.

Farid Kamil was charged with using the drug known as THC or 11-nor-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid at the Narcotics Office, Petaling District police headquarters at 4.30pm on Jan 11, 2018.

The charge was filed under Section 15 (1) (a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 which carries a maximum jail term of two years or a fine of up to RM5,000 or both upon conviction.

-- BERNAMA