THE Court of Appeal in Putrajaya today postponed the hearing of an appeal by actor and director Farid Kamil Zahari against his conviction and nine months’ jail sentence for a drug-related offence.

The deferment is because his lawyer, Hisyam Teh Poh Teik, is involved in Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s trial in the Shah Alam High Court.

A three-member panel comprising Justices Abdul Karim Abdul Jalil, Che Mohd Ruzima Ghazali and Ghazali Cha allowed the postponement.

Hisyam told the court he was currently involved in the former deputy prime minister’s corruption trial relating to the foreign visa system.

Deputy public prosecutor Eyu Ghim Siang did not object to the application.

Justice Karim then set Monday for case management.

Apart from Farid’s appeal against his conviction and jail term for the drug-related-case, the appellate court was also supposed to hear the prosecution’s appeal against a High Court’s decision to substitute the 13-month jail term imposed on Farid, with a fine of RM5,000 for using criminal force on a policeman and its application for a time extension to file the notice of appeal for the same case. 

On May 15, 2019, the Petaling Jaya magistrates’ court sentenced Farid, 40, to nine months’ jail and ordered him to be placed on a two-year supervision under the National Anti-Drugs Agency.

The Shah Alam High Court subsequently dismissed his appeal.

On June 2, 2020, the Petaling Jaya magistrates’ court sentenced Farid to 13 months’ jail for using criminal force against Muhammad Nizam Jamaluddin at the Kota Damansara traffic police station inquiry counter at 1.20pm on January 11, 2018.

He was also sentenced to four months jail by the magistrates’ court for uttering improper words against Nizam, under section 90 of the Police Act 1967. He was ordered to serve the sentences concurrently.

However, following the actor’s appeal, the Shah Alam High Court substituted the 13-month jail term with a fine of RM5,000 while the four-month jail sentence for uttering improper words was replaced with a fine of RM500.

On January 5 this year, Farid failed to obtain leave to appeal against his conviction and the RM5,500 fine for using criminal force and uttering improper words against the policeman.

The prosecution, meanwhile, is cross-appealing the High Court’s decision in substituting the 13-month jail term with a RM5,000 fine.

However, the prosecution could not proceed with its appeal at the Court of Appeal against the High Court’s decision on the offence of uttering improper words as it failed to get a time extension to file its petition of appeal.

Also representing Farid was lawyer Kee Wei Lon. – Bernama, May 19, 2022.