Malaysian prosecutors unable to find Yusoff Rawther in UK to physically serve appeal notice despite Interpol help

The prosecution has not yet physically served a notice of appeal to Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, who is currently in the UK.

Authorities, including Interpol, have been unable to locate Muhammed Yusoff or determine details of his asylum application.

The Court of Appeal has set February 3 for further case management after the Kuala Lumpur High Court acquitted Muhammed Yusoff of trafficking cannabis and possessing imitation pistols.

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 4 — The Court of Appeal was told today that the prosecution has yet to physically serve a notice of appeal on Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, a former research assistant to a politician, who is currently in the United Kingdom (UK).

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) How May Ling told a three-member panel that authorities in the UK and Ireland had failed to locate Muhammed Yusoff or serve the notice on him, despite assistance being sought from Interpol.

“The prosecution was informed last month that efforts to locate the respondent (Muhammed Yusoff) had been unsuccessful. The authorities also had no information regarding his asylum application,” she said during case management before Justices Datuk Azman Abdullah, Datuk Hayatul Akmal Abdul Aziz and K. Muniandy.

The prosecution is appealing against the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s decision to acquit and discharge Muhammed Yusoff of charges of trafficking cannabis and possessing two imitation pistols at the end of the prosecution’s case, without calling him to enter his defence.

How said the respondent’s counsel had informed the court during an earlier proceeding that they were still in contact with him and had received instructions to represent him in the appeal.

The DPP said the prosecution was seeking another case management date to allow efforts to locate Muhammed Yusoff and serve the notice to continue.

It also applied for the proceedings to be conducted via Zoom so that he could appear online and confirm his whereabouts in the UK, facilitating service of the appeal notice.

On the Zoom application, Justice Azman said the case should not be treated differently from other criminal cases.

“I do not want to make an exception in this case. This is a criminal proceeding, and the respondent must appear physically in court. This court also does not want to set an unnecessary precedent.

“If the prosecution succeeds in locating him, bring him before this court,” he said.

Justice Azman also urged the lawyer to advise his client to return to Malaysia, given that they had a channel of communication with him.

Counsel Muhammad Rafique Rashid Ali, representing Muhammed Yusoff, said he acknowledged that physical service of the appeal notice was a legal requirement under Section 314 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

However, he maintained that his client was not on the run but was in the UK to seek asylum.

The court fixed February 3 next year for further case management.

On June 12, 2025, High Court Judge Datuk Muhammad Jamil Hussin acquitted and discharged Muhammed Yusoff, 33, after ruling that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against him.

The court found that the prosecution had failed to prove, through witness testimony, that the accused had control, custody or possession of the two pistols and the drugs.

Muhammed Yusoff was charged with trafficking 305 grammes of cannabis found in a vehicle he was travelling in outside the surau at the Kuala Lumpur Police Contingent Headquarters at 10.15am on September 6, 2024.

The charge was brought under Section 39B(1)(a) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, punishable under Section 39B(2) of the same Act, which provides for life imprisonment and not fewer than 12 strokes of the cane upon conviction.

He was also charged with possessing two imitation pistols by the roadside near a condominium in Jalan Bukit Kiara at 9.25am on the same day.

The charge was under Section 36(1) of the Arms Act 1960, which carries a maximum jail term of one year, a fine of up to RM5,000, or both, upon conviction. — Bernama

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检方尚未向目前身在英国的穆罕默德·尤索夫·罗瑟送达上诉通知书。

包括国际刑警组织在内的有关当局一直未能找到穆罕默德·尤索夫，也未能确定他的庇护申请详情。

吉隆坡高等法院宣判穆罕默德·尤索夫贩运大麻和持有仿制手枪罪名不成立后，上诉法院已将案件进一步管理日期定为 2 月 3 日。

布城，11月4日讯——上诉法院今日获悉，控方尚未向穆罕默德·尤索夫·拉瑟（Muhammed Yusoff Rawther）送达上诉通知书。拉瑟曾是一名政治家的研究助理，目前身在英国。

副检察官何美玲向三名成员组成的小组表示，尽管已向国际刑警组织寻求帮助，但英国和爱尔兰当局仍未能找到穆罕默德·尤索夫或向他送达通知。

“检方上个月获悉，寻找被告（穆罕默德·尤索夫）的努力均未成功。当局也没有关于他庇护申请的任何信息，”她在法官拿督阿兹曼·阿卜杜拉、拿督哈亚图尔·阿克马尔·阿卜杜勒·阿齐兹和K·穆尼亚迪面前的案件管理听证会上说道。

检方对吉隆坡高等法院的裁决提出上诉，该裁决在检方举证完毕后，未传唤穆罕默德·尤索夫出庭辩护，便宣告其无罪释放，罪名是贩运大麻和持有两支仿制手枪。

豪表示，被告的律师在之前的诉讼程序中告知法庭，他们仍然与被告保持联系，并已收到指示，将在上诉中代表被告。

检方表示，检方正在寻求另一个案件管理日期，以便继续寻找穆罕默德·尤索夫并送达通知书。

他还申请通过 Zoom 进行诉讼程序，以便他可以在线出庭并确认他在英国的下落，从而方便送达上诉通知。

阿兹曼法官在Zoom应用程序上表示，此案不应与其他刑事案件区别对待。

“我不想在这个案子上破例。这是一起刑事诉讼，被告必须亲自出庭。本庭也不想开创不必要的先例。”

“如果检方成功找到他，就把他带到法庭来，”他说。

阿兹曼法官还敦促律师建议他的当事人返回马来西亚，因为他们之间有沟通渠道。

代表穆罕默德·尤索夫的律师穆罕默德·拉菲克·拉希德·阿里表示，他承认根据《刑事诉讼法》第 314 条的规定，实际送达上诉通知是一项法律要求。

然而，他坚称他的当事人并非在逃亡，而是在英国寻求庇护。

法院将案件进一步审理日期定于明年2月3日。

2025年6月12日，高等法院法官拿督穆罕默德·贾米尔·侯赛因宣布33岁的穆罕默德·尤索夫无罪释放，理由是控方未能证明对其有初步证据。

法院认定检方未能通过证人证词证明被告控制、保管或持有这两支手枪和毒品。

2024年9月6日上午10点15分，穆罕默德·尤索夫被控贩运305克大麻，这些大麻在他乘坐的车辆中被发现，地点位于吉隆坡警察总部外的祈祷室。

该指控依据 1952 年《危险药物法》第 39B(1)(a) 条提出，根据该法第 39B(2) 条可予以处罚，该条规定，一经定罪，可判处终身监禁和不少于 12 下鞭刑。

他还被控于当天上午 9 点 25 分在 Jalan Bukit Kiara 一处公寓附近的路边持有两把仿制手枪。

该指控依据的是1960年《武器法令》第36(1)条，该条文规定，一旦罪名成立，最高可判处一年监禁、最高罚款5000令吉，或两者并罚。——马新社

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