KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — Blogger Wan Muhammad Azri Wan Deris, better known as Papagomo, pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate’s Court today to a charge of failing to notify authorities of a change in business details.
The charge relates to his business Invoice Solutions being used to receive public donations to pay a defamation fine connected to a case involving Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The 42-year-old entered his plea after the charge was read before Magistrate Illi Marisqa Khalizan.
He is accused, in his capacity as the responsible individual for the service and event management company, of failing to declare a change to its registered particulars when it was used to collect donations to settle the fine.
The offence is alleged to have occurred between October 24, 2017, and November 30, 2017. Azri was charged under Rule 17A(1)(b) of the Business Registration Rules 1957, punishable under Section 12A of the Business Registration Act 1956. If convicted, he faces a maximum fine of RM10,000, up to one year in prison, or both.
Earlier, Deputy Public Prosecutor Muhamad Anas Mahadzir requested that bail be set at RM5,000 with one surety. However, the accused's lawyer Muhammad Amirul Ar-Rasyid appealed for a lower bail, saying his client is the primary breadwinner for his family and is currently facing several other lawsuits.
The court subsequently granted Azri bail of RM2,500 with one surety and set January 30 for the next case mention.
