Court reduces duo’s jail term over contributions to Daesh

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court yesterday reduced the jail sentences of two men from 15 years to 10 years for soliciting contributions for the benefit of the Daesh militant group.

Its five-man panel led by Tan Sri Suriyadi Halim Omar allowed the appeal by financial consultant Rohaimi Abd Rahim, 40, and cafe manager Muhamad Fauzi Misrak, 38, for a reduction in their jail sentences.

Last June, both men were each sentenced to 15 years’ jail by the Court of Appeal.

They had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges at the High Court in Kuala Lumpur and were given jail terms of three years and two years to run concurrently.

However, following the prosecution’s appeal at the Appellate Court, their jail sentences were enhanced to 15 years’ jail.

Rohaimi was charged with soliciting contributions to benefit the terrorist group through blog, Revolusi Islam.com, while Muhamad Fauzi was charged with conspiring with Rohaimi to solicit contributions for the terrorist group by allowing his Maybank account to be used in the blog.

They committed the offence at a premises in Jalan Raja Ali, Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur between March 29, 2014 and Oct 13, 2014.

The duo also faced a joint charge of arranging to facilitate acquisition and control of property for Daesh terrorists at a Maybank branch in Subang Jaya, Selangor, between December 2013 and July 2014.

In today’s proceedings, the men through their lawyer, Amer Hamzah Arshad contended the jail sentence of 15 years was manifestly excessive considering they did not undergo military training or participate in war in Syria and did not discharge any firearms.

Deputy public prosecutor Ku Hayati Ku Haron said the 15-year jail term was appropriate as public interest was taken into account.

In his decision, Suriyadi said the court decided to vary the sentences of the two men to run concurrently from the date of arrest on Oct 13, 2014.

He said the court considered the issue of public interest and that this country was not left out from the threat of international terrorism, adding that a fair sentence should reflect the seriousness of the offence.

Presiding with him were justices Tan Sri Zainun Ali, Tan Sri Ramly Ali, Datuk Balia Yusof Wahi and Datuk Prasad Sandosham Abraham. - Bernama