Crackhouse comedy club owner to submit third representation to drop charges

31 May 2023 05:11pm

KUALA LUMPUR, May 31 - Crackhouse comedy club owner Mohamad Rizal Van Geyzel will submit a third representation after his second representation to drop the three charges against him rejected by the Attorney General's Office (AGC). - BERNAMA photo (2023) COPYRIGHT RESERVED

KUALA LUMPUR - Crackhouse comedy club owner Mohamad Rizal Van Geyzel will submit a third representation to drop the charges against him after his second representation was rejected by the Attorney General's Chambers (AGC).

The charges are creating and initiating the distribution of videos that touch on racial sensitivity on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok in July last year.

Mohamad Rizal’s lawyer, M. Pravin told Sessions Court Judge Priscilla Hemamalini Nadarajan that they had just been informed by the prosecution about the status of the representation today.

"We will most likely file another representation to the AGC as there are new developments in this case and we need time to get instructions from the client,” he said.

He asked the court to vacate the trial dates set on June 1 and 2 while awaiting the decision on the representation.

Deputy public prosecutor Noor Haslinda Che Seman confirmed that the second representation was rejected and requested the defence to include a new representation immediately for the AGC to examine.

The court fixed June 13 for mention of the third representation's decision.

On Jan 20, the AGC rejected the representation submitted by Mohamad Rizal to drop the three charges. He submitted a second representation on April 6.

According to the three charges, Mohamad Rizal, 40 was accused of making and initiating the transmission of offensive communications with intent to offend others via the Facebook application using the profile name ‘Rizal van Geyzel’, Instagram ‘rizalvangeyzel’ and TikTok ‘rizalvangeyzel’, between July 4 and 6, 2022.

The three postings were read at the Cyber and Multimedia Crime Investigation Division Office, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department, Bukit Aman Police Headquarters, 27th Floor, KPJ Tower here, at 1.17pm, on July 13, 2022.

The charges were framed under Section 233(1) (a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998, punishable under Section 233 (3) of the same act, which provides a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment not exceeding one year or both, and shall be further fined RM1,000 for every day that the offence is repeated after conviction if convicted. - BERNAMA