Reprieve for Neelofa and husband

SEREMBAN: Celebrity Noor Neelofa Mohd Noor and her husband, Muhammad Haris Mohd Ismail, were given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal on three charges of breaching standard operating procedures (SOP) under the conditional movement control order (CMCO).

Magistrate Mohd Firdaus Saleh made the ruling after deputy public prosecutor Nor Azizah Aling informed the court that the Attorney-General’s Chambers had considered the representation submitted by the two accused regarding the case.

As such, she requested that the couple be discharged to make way for other actions to be taken against them.

Lawyer Tan Sri Muhammad Shafie Abdullah, representing the couple, told reporters that the prosecution had withdrawn all the charges against Muhammad Haris and Noor Neelofa.

“A compound process will take place either today or tomorrow. We will be back on Dec 21 so that they can be discharged and acquitted,” he said.

“We’re quite happy. Although these charges can be fought, it will drag on. With Noor Neelofa’s situation now, who is pregnant, it is not suitable for us to run this case.”

Also representing the couple are lawyers Haresh Mahadevan and Ramzani Idris.

Neelofa and her husband sent a representation to the attorney-general on Oct 21, requesting that the charges against them be withdrawn.

On May 20, the couple pleaded not guilty to violating Regulation 19 of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures Within Infected Local Area) (Conditional Movement Control) (No.4) (Amendment) (No.12) Regulations 2021, which carries a fine not exceeding RM50,000 or imprisonment of up to six months, or both.

Muhammad Haris, 26, was charged with failing to wear a face mask and not scanning the MySejahtera application or writing his name in the registration book at Kedai Naeem Carpet Sdn Bhd in Kawasan Perindustrian Nilai 3, Nilai, at 4pm on May 2.

Noor Neelofa, 32, was charged with failing to scan the MySejahtera application or writing her name in the registration book at the same place and time. – Bernama