'Guilty plea made with full knowledge' by Hindraf supporters'

KUALA LUMPUR: The 29 Hindu Rights Action Force supporters who pleaded guilty in the Sessions Court to taking part in an illegal rally in November last year knew the consequences of their plea.

Bar Council Legal Aid Centre chairman Ravi Nekko said the nature and consequences of the offence were explained to 51 accused persons by lawyers from the centre and a Hindraf legal adviser.

"They were asked to return the next day with a decision whether they wanted to plead guilty or continue with the trial," he said.

Ravi said, on the following day, the centre asked those who had decided to plead guilty to sign a letter stating that they were aware of the consequences of making a guilty plea.

He said 29 persons signed the letter while 22 claimed trial.

Ravi was responding to a New Straits Times report yesterday about the legal advice given by lawyers led by Datuk N. Sivananthan.

The 51, who faced charges both under the Penal Code and the Police Act, were charged in the Sessions Court in early December with having participated in the unlawful assembly on Nov 25 between 5am and 3pm at the Jalan Ampang-Jalan Tun Razak intersection.

They were charged under Section 143 of the Penal Code and in the alternative under Section 27 of the Police Act, as well as under Section 145 of the Penal Code.

Later the prosecution agreed to withdraw the first and alternative charges.

On Sept 17, the 29 pleaded guilty to the second charge and they were each fined RM1,000.

All paid the fine. However, subsequently they denied having told Sivananthan that they wanted to plead guilty.

Trial for the other 22 will resume on Dec 17.

NST