AGC GRANTED LEAVE TO INITIATE CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS AGAINST SHAFIE APDAL, MONA DIN

KOTA KINABALU, Oct 23 (Bernama) -- The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) has obtained leave to initiate contempt of court proceedings against former Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal and social media influencer Che Muna Din, also known as Mona Din, over alleged statements related to the late Zara Qairina Mahathir’s case.

Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan granted the leave after hearing submissions from deputy public prosecutors Mohamad Mustaffa P Kunyalan and Nadia Mohd Izhar.

The Coroner’s Court that heard the inquest into Zara Qairina’s death was informed that the cause papers will be served on both respondents within two weeks before a hearing date is fixed.

According to the ex parte application, a show cause notice was served on Mohd Shafie on Sept 23, while Mona Din received hers on Sept 10. 

The applicant (AGC) said that Mohd Shafie, who is also the president of Parti Warisan, has responded via a letter from his solicitors, Messrs Tommy Thomas, dated Sept 29. 

"It is submitted that although the respondent has provided the said letter of reply and has not in any way denied making the statement contained in the said posting, he has failed to provide a satisfactory explanation in response to the show cause notice under Order 52 Rule 2B of the Rules of Court 2012," said Mohamad  Mustaffa.

He added that Mohd Shafie had made statements amounting to contempt of court in a Facebook post under the name “Shafie Apdal”.

Meanwhile, Mona Din responded by way of a statutory declaration dated Sept 19, in which she offered her apologies.

-- BERNAMA