Court rejects application after lawyers discharge themselves

R. Surenthira Kumar, Llew-Ann Phang and Charles Ramendran
The Sun Daily, 12 Dec 2007
 

SHAH ALAM: The Shah Alam High Court today rejected a stay of execution application made against its decision on Monday for three Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf ) leaders to be re-charged in the Klang sessions court for alleged sedition.

Judicial Commissioner Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim dismissed the application after four defence counsels — M. Manoharan, A. Srimurugan, A. Sivanesan and Teng Chang Kim — who jointly represent the three Hindraf leaders P. Waythamoorthy, his brother Uthayakumar and V. Ganapathi Rao — discharged themselves from the case.

"I find there is no more application before me and the Dec 10 order which ruled to set aside the sessions court decision shall be executed in due course," Abang Iskandar said after the lawyers discharged themselves.

Earlier, Manoharan had requested for the court to stand down until Uthayakumar was present but Abang Iskandar said he saw no reason to postpone proceedings to hear the application.

Srimurugan then told Abang Iskandar he had been instructed by Uthayakumar to proceed with the application only in his (Uthayakumar's) presence.

"To proceed with the matter in his absence, I will be violating the Legal Profession Act, as an officer of the court," Srimurugan said.

Uthayakumar was arrested yesterday and was charged with sedition in the Jalan Duta Court in Kuala Lumpur before he was re-arrested, pending another alleged charge of sedition. He was not present in the Shah Alam Court today.

Uthayakumar was only released by Kuala Lumpur police on police bail at 5pm today.

Two hours earlier, a police team had raided Uthayakumar's law firm at Menara Mutiara, Bangsar where they spent several hours searching for documents and other material. The team left about 7pm, carting away several computers and dozens of files.