Part-time worker charged for sending lewd pictures via WhatsApp

ALOR SETAR - A part-time employee at a government agency pleaded not guilty in the Sessions Court here today to a charge of sending obscene messages with the intent to offend others through WhatsApp in 2021.

Muhammad Zakir Rami, 29, pleaded not guilty to the charges of knowingly making and sending photographs of an obscene nature, using the WhatsApp application, between 7.30 am on May 20, 2021, and 3.02 am on May 28, 2021.

The charges that were read in front of Judge Jean Sharmila Jesudason.

The accused had sent the obscene message to a 29-year-old woman.

The case is booked under Section 233 (1) (a) of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Act 588) and the offence is punishable under Section 233 (3) of the same act, which provides a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for not more than one year,or both.

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) prosecuting officer, Nazrul Nizam Mohd Zameri had asked the court to impose a RM1,000 bail with one surety on the accused.

Zakir who was not represented by a lawyer, pleaded with the court to set a lower bail as he only earned RM1,400 on his part-time salary and had to use it to support his wife and one-year-old child.

The accused was granted RM800 bail with one surety, and the court set May 22 as the dates to provide documents and appoint lawyers.