Chief judge: Deterrent sentence for shoe-throwing imam to redeem court’s dignity
PUTRAJAYA, April 12 — Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin said only a stiff custodial sentence would redeem the dignity of the apex court, in regards to the case of the former imam Hoslan Husin who threw his shoes at a Federal Court bench.
According to Bernama, Zulkefli said in a 16-page judgment that that act of throwing objects like shoes was viewed as being obnoxious, demeaning and degrading when hurled at a person what more before a panel of judges of the nation’s apex court.
In the judgement, Zulkefli pronounced that even an apology would not lessen the gravity of the offence thusly justifying the one-year sentence meted out to Hoslan.
He said, "We sympathise with his wife and seven young children but the law has to take its course." Zulkefi further said the punishment meted was not on personal interests but to preserve the dignity of the apex court.
Hoslan has filed for review of the one-year jail term, of which the hearing was to be held today, before a five-member panel chaired by Chief Justice Tan Sri Arifin Zakaria, but has been pushed to Monday.
The former imam received a one-year jail term for contempt of court after throwing his shoes at the Federal Court bench presided by Justice Zulkefli as well as Federal Court judges Datuk Suriyadi Halim Omar and Datin Paduka Zaleha Zahari on Feb 22 this year. The incident occurred after the bench dismissed his application for leave to appeal on a civil matter.
Hoslan was challenging his eviction order from Ar-Rahimah mosque in Kampung Pandan for disciplinary problems and has been serving his term at Kajang prison since March 8.
