Magistrates Court acquits Insp Sheila on charge of insulting lawyer’s dignity

KUALA LUMPUR: A female police officer, known as ‘Inspector Sheila,‘ was acquitted and discharged by the Selayang Magistrate’s Court today on a charge of insulting a male lawyer’s dignity last year.

Sheila Sharon Steven Kumar, 35, was cleared of the charge after the victim, P. Taneswaran, who also served as the first prosecution witness, informed the court that he no longer wished to pursue the case.

Lawyer M. Manoharan, representing Sheila, confirmed that the witness made this statement during his testimony on the first day of the trial.

The proceedings were also attended by deputy public prosecutor Nurilya Ellyna Azmal.

Sheila had been accused of insulting Taneswaran’s appearance at No 8, Jalan SG 1/1, Taman Sri Gombak, at noon on June 15, 2023.

She was charged under Section 509 of the Penal Code, which carries a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment, a fine, or both upon conviction.

However, she still faces another charge for making an inappropriate comment about the rank of Lance Cpl Abdul Arif Farhan Abdul Razak, intending to insult his dignity, at the same location and time, at 1.25 pm.

Furthermore, she is accused of threatening an elderly woman, M. Silverkoomarie, with the intent to cause fear at noon on the same day and location.

This charge, under Section 506 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison, a fine, or both upon conviction.